| An-Nisa (The Women): (28) Allah intends...

> > There are several issues (Masā'il) here:

The First Issue: Regarding the word "to lighten" (Takhfīf)

There are two opinions:

1. It means permitting the marriage of a female slave (amah) in times of necessity. This is the view of Mujahid and Muqatil.

2. The majority hold that this is general regarding all rulings of the Sharia, and everything He has made easy and facilitated for us out of His grace. He did not burden us with obligations as heavily as He burdened the Children of Israel.

Similar verses supporting this view include:

* His saying, the Exalted: {And He relieves them of their burden and the yokes that were upon them} (Al-A'raf: 157).

* His saying: {Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship} (Al-Baqarah: 185).

* His saying: {And He has not placed upon you in religion any difficulty} (Al-Hajj: 78).

* The saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): (I have come to you with the pure, easy, and lenient path [Al-Hanifiyyah Al-Sahla Al-Samhah]).

The Second Issue: Regarding Divine Decree and Human Action

Al-Qadi (Al-Nu'man or Al-Jubba'i, depending on context, but here likely referring to a Mu'tazilite view) stated: This verse indicates that the servant's action is not created by Allah Almighty. If it were created by Him, then Allah would create disbelief in the disbeliever, and then tell him, "Do not disbelieve," which would be the greatest form of imposition. Likewise, He would not create faith in him, nor would He give the servant the ability to create faith, and then tell him, "Believe," which would also be the greatest imposition.

He also stated: This verse also indicates that imposing what is beyond capacity (Taklīf mā lā yuṭāq) does not occur, as that would be the greatest form of imposition.

The Response: This view is countered by the established knowledge (of God's omniscience), the divine call (Da'i), and most of what we have previously mentioned (in refuting Mu'tazilite positions).

Then the verse continues: {And man was created weak}.

The meaning is that due to man's weakness, Allah lightened his obligations and did not burden him heavily.

The more probable interpretation is that "weakness" here does not refer to physical weakness of creation, but rather to the abundance of incentives/desires (Dawā'ī) to follow sensual pleasure and lust, making it difficult for him to resist them.

We say this interpretation is preferable because if weakness/strength were based on physical creation, then if Allah strengthened the incentive towards obedience in a physically weak person, he would be in the position of the strong. Conversely, a physically strong person with weak incentives towards obedience would be in the position of the weak. Therefore, the determining factor in this matter is the strength or weakness of the incentive, not the strength or weakness of the body.

This entire discussion belongs to Al-Qadi, and it is a sound argument, but it undermines his own foundation. For if he concedes that the effective cause for the existence or non-existence of an action is the strength or weakness of the incentive, then if he reflects, he will realize that the strength or weakness of the incentive must have a cause. If that cause is another incentive originating from the servant, it leads to an infinite regress (Tasalsul). If the cause is entirely from Allah, then that is the undeniable truth, and the doctrine of the Mu'tazila is completely invalidated. And Allah knows best.

The Third Issue: The Virtuous Verses in Surah An-Nisa

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: There are eight verses in Surah An-Nisa that are better for this Ummah than anything the sun has risen upon and set over:

1. {Allah intends to make clear to you} (An-Nisa: 26)

2. {And Allah intends to forgive you} (An-Nisa: 27)

3. {Allah intends to lighten for you} (An-Nisa: 28)

4. {If you avoid the major sins of which you are forbidden} (An-Nisa: 31)

5. {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him} (An-Nisa: 116)

6. {Indeed, Allah does not wrong [anyone] by an atom's weight} (An-Nisa: 40)

7. {And whoever does an evil or wrongs himself} (An-Nisa: 110)

8. {What would Allah do with your punishment} (Al 'Imran: 147)

And Muhammad Al-Razi, the author of this book, says: May Allah conclude his life with goodness. O Allah, make us worthy of it by Your grace and mercy, O Most Generous of the generous, and O Most Merciful of the merciful.

The Eighth Type: Of the Obligations Mentioned in This Surah

! 7 < { O you who have believed, do not consume your wealth among yourselves unjustly but only [as] trade by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful. * And whoever does that in aggression and injustice, We will drive him into a Fire. And that is easy for Allah. } 7

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