| Al Imran: (176) And let not those who hasten...

Issues Discussed:

• Nāfiʿ's Reading: He reads يحزنك (yuhzinuka) with a ḍammah on the yāʾ and a kasrah on the zāy (passive voice, "you are saddened"). This is his consistent reading throughout the Qur'an, except for لا يحزنهم الفزع الأكبر (Al-Anbiyāʾ: 103), where he uses the active voice (opening the yāʾ and stressing the zāy).
• The Majority Reading: All others read يَحْزُنُكَ (yaḥzunuka) with a fatḥah on the yāʾ and a ḍammah on the zāy (active voice, "they sadden you").
• Linguistic Justification: Al-Azhari stated that the preferred linguistic form is حَزِنَهُ يَحْزُنُهُ (ḥazanahu yaḥzunuhu), aligning with the majority reading. Nāfiʿ's reading is supported by the fact that both forms (حَزِنَ يَحْزُنُ like naṣara yanṣuru, and أَحْزَنَ يُحْزِنُ like akrama yukrimu) are attested linguistic variations.

Several views exist regarding the context of this verse's revelation:

1. The Quraysh Disbelievers: The verse was revealed concerning the disbelievers of Quraysh who hastened to gather armies against the Prophet (PBUH). God assured the Prophet that their actions only harm themselves, not God. This must be interpreted to mean they cannot harm the Prophet or the believers in a fundamental way. The intended harm they sought—abolishing Islam and its law—will ultimately fail. Instead, their power will vanish, and the Prophet's cause will prevail.
2. The Hypocrites (Munāfiqūn): Their hastening involved frightening the believers after the Battle of Uhud, causing despair regarding victory, or claiming that Muhammad was merely seeking worldly power, which fluctuates. This discouraged Muslims from Islam, causing the Prophet grief.
3. Apostates: Some who had embraced Islam later reverted out of fear of Quraysh. The Prophet grieved, fearing their apostasy might cause harm to him or the community. God reassured him that their apostasy would not affect him.
   • Al-Qāḍī's Support for View 3:
     • A persistent disbeliever is not described as "hastening in disbelief"; this term applies to one who reverts after believing.
     • God's decree that they will have no share in the Hereafter is appropriate only for those who had believed and then forfeited that right.
     • Grief arises from the loss of an intended goal. The Prophet intended to benefit from their faith; when they disbelieved, he grieved the loss of their numbers. God assured him that their faith (or lack thereof) would not alter his status.
4. The Jewish Leaders: Specifically, figures like Kaʿb ibn al-Ashraf, who concealed the Prophet's description for worldly gain.
5. General Application: Al-Qaffāl suggested the verse applies to all categories of disbelievers, citing the verse in Al-Māʾidah (5:41): "O Messenger, let not those who hasten into disbelief grieve you... and among those who are Jews..." This indicates the Prophet's sadness stemmed from all these groups.

The Question: Grief over a disbeliever's disbelief and a sinner's disobedience is considered an act of obedience (since it shows care for God's religion). How then is God forbidding an act of obedience?

The Answers:

1. Prohibition of Excess: The Prophet was perhaps excessive or extravagant in his grief over his people's disbelief, to the point where it might cause him harm. God forbade this excess, similar to the verse: "So let not your soul go after them in sorrow" (Fāṭir: 8).
2. Meaning of Harm: The prohibition means: "Do not grieve because you fear they will harm you or aid others against you." This is supported by the following phrase: "Indeed, they will never harm Allāh in the least."

• Interpretation: They will not harm the Prophet or his companions in any way.
• ʿAṭāʾ's View: They will not harm the allies of God.

This phrase leads to further issues:

Issue 1: Refutation of the Muʿtazilah Regarding Divine Will

• This verse affirms that good and evil are subject to God's will (Irādah).
• Al-Qāḍī's View: The meaning is that God intends to declare and judge this reality.
• Critique of Al-Qāḍī's View: This response is weak for two reasons:
  1. It deviates from the apparent meaning (the ẓāhir).
  2. Even if true, acting contrary to what God has declared and judged is impossible, so the original problem remains.

Issue 2: Divine Will and Non-Existence

• The Muʿtazilah Position: Divine will cannot relate to non-existence (ʿadam).
• The Ashʿarī Position (Our Companions): It is permissible for God's will to relate to non-existence.
• Proof for the Ashʿarī Position: The verse states: "Allāh intends not to make for them a share in the Hereafter." This shows His will is related to this state of non-existence (the lack of a share).
• Muʿtazilah Counter-Argument: The meaning is that God did not intend that, similar to وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ (Al-Baqarah: 185).
• Rebuttal: This is a deviation from the apparent meaning.

Issue 3: Scope of the Negative Statement

• The verse implies that a noun in the negative context (نكرة في موضع النفي) carries a universal meaning (generality). If it were not general, the threat to the disbelievers in this verse would not be fully realized.
• Followed by: وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ (And for them is a great punishment). This is a new clause. The meaning is: Just as they have absolutely no benefit in the Hereafter, they have a great share of its harms.