| An-Nisa (The Women): (66-68) And if We had decreed for them...

Know that this verse is connected to what preceded concerning the hypocrites and encouraging them toward sincerity and abandoning hypocrisy.

The meaning is: If We had imposed severe obligations upon people, such as commanding them to kill themselves or leave their homelands, it would have been difficult for them, and only a few would have done it. In that case, their disbelief and obstinacy would have become apparent. Since We did not do that out of mercy for Our servants, but rather sufficed with commanding them in easy matters, they should accept these with sincerity and abandon rebellion and stubbornness so that they may attain the good of both abodes.

In this verse, there are several issues:

Issue 1: Recitation of "An" (If) and "Aw" (Or)

Ibn Kathir, Nafi', Ibn 'Amir, and Al-Kisai' read: أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوْ اخْرُجُوا مِن دِيَارِكُمْ (An iqtalū anfusakum aw ukhrijū min diyārikum) with a ḍammah (vowel mark) on the nūn of an and a ḍammah on the wāw of aw. The reason for this is the transfer of the ḍammah from اقْتُلُوا (iqtalū) and أَخْرُجُوا (ukhrijū) to them.

'Asim and Hamzah read with a kasrah (vowel mark) on both, due to the meeting of two silent letters (sukūn).

Abu 'Amr read with a kasrah on the nūn and a ḍammah on the wāw.

Al-Zajjaj said: I do not know any special characteristic for Abu 'Amr's separation between these two letters except that it is transmitted (by narration).

Others said: As for the kasrah on the nūn, it is because kasrah is the default sound when two silent letters meet. As for the ḍammah on the wāw, it is better because the ḍammah on the wāw resembles the ḍammah of the attached pronoun (e.g., in اشْتَرَوُا or تَنسَوُا). The majority agreed on the ḍammah for the attached pronoun, such as in اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ (They bought misguidance) (Al-Baqarah: 16) and وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ (And do not forget the bounty) (Al-Baqarah: 237).

Issue 2: The Pronoun in "Mā Fa'alūhu" (They did not do it) and the Exception

The pronoun in مَا فَعَلُوهُ (mā fa'alūhu) refers back to both killing and leaving (the homes) together, because the action is one category, even if its forms differ.

The reciters differed regarding إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ (illā qalīlun - except a few):

1. Ibn 'Amir read قَلِيلًا (qalīlan) with the accusative case (naṣb). This is also found in the Mushafs of the people of Sham and the Mushaf of Anas ibn Malik.
2. The rest read it with the nominative case (rafʿ).

Regarding the Naṣb (Accusative): Those who read it as accusative analogize the negative exception to the positive exception. The statement مَا جَاءَنِي أَحَدٌ (No one came to me) is a complete sentence, just as جَاءَنِي الْقَوْمُ (The people came to me) is complete. Since the exception is in the accusative case in a positive statement, it should be so in a negative statement as well. The common factor is that the exception is an extraneous element (faḍlah) that comes after the completion of the statement.

Regarding the Rafʿ (Nominative): The reason is that they made it an appositive (badal) to the pronoun wāw in فَعَلُوهُ (fa'alūhu). This applies to every exception following a negated noun, like saying: مَا أَتَانِي أَحَدٌ إِلَّا زَيْدٌ (mā atānī aḥadun illā Zaydun), where Zayd is in the nominative case as an appositive to aḥad. The grammatical case of what follows illā is made to follow what precedes it, whether it is rafʿ, naṣb, or jarr (e.g., مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا إِلَّا زَيْدًا or مَا مَرَرْتُ بِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا زَيْدٌ).

Abu 'Ali al-Farisi stated that the rafʿ is more consistent (aqyas). The meaning of مَا أَتَانِي إِلَّا زَيْدٌ (mā atānī illā Zaydun) is the same as مَا أَتَانِي أَحَدٌ إِلَّا زَيْدٌ (mā atānī aḥadun illā Zaydun). Since they agree on rafʿ in the first case, the second case must also be in rafʿ.

Issue 3: The Pronoun in "If We had decreed for them"

There are two opinions regarding the pronoun in وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ (And if We had decreed for them):

First Opinion (Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid): It refers to the hypocrites. This is because Allah decreed for the Children of Israel that they kill themselves, and He decreed for the Emigrants (Muhajirūn) that they leave their homes. Thus, the verse means: If We had decreed killing and leaving one's homeland upon these hypocrites, only a few would have done it—out of hypocrisy and showing off—and the matter would have become difficult for them, exposing their disbelief. Since We did not do that, but rather commanded them with easy matters, they should abandon hypocrisy and accept faith with sincerity. This view is preferred by Abu Bakr al-Aṣamm and Abu Bakr al-Qaffal.

Second Opinion: It means: If Allah had decreed the aforementioned things for people in general, only a few of them would have done it. Under this interpretation, both the believer and the hypocrite are included in the initial statement. However, the pronoun in وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ (And if they had done what they were advised with) is specific to the hypocrites. It is not impossible for the beginning of the verse to be general and the end specific. Under this interpretation, the "few" must refer to the believers.

It is narrated that Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas debated a Jew, who said: Moses commanded us to kill ourselves, and we accepted it, but Muhammad commands you to fight, and you hate it. Thabit replied: O man, if Muhammad commanded me to kill myself, I would do it. Then this verse was revealed. It is also narrated that Ibn Mas'ud said something similar, and this verse was revealed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, there are men among my Ummah whose faith is more firmly established in their hearts than the towering mountains." 'Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, if our Lord had commanded us to kill ourselves, we would have done it, and praise be to Allah Who did not command us to do so."

Issue 4: Refutation of Abu 'Ali al-Jubba'i

Abu 'Ali al-Jubba'i argued: Since this verse indicates that Allah did not burden them with what is difficult and heavy, then it is more appropriate that He does not burden them with what they cannot bear (mā lā yuṭīqūn).

We respond to him: This is a necessary consequence for you because the apparent meaning of the verse indicates that Allah did not command them with these harsh things because they would not have done them. If they had not done them, they would have incurred punishment. Yet, Allah knew that Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab would never believe, and that they would gain nothing from the command except perpetual punishment, yet Allah commanded them. Whatever answer you provide for this situation is also our answer regarding what you mentioned.

Then Allah Almighty said: وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا * وَإِذًا لَّآتَيْنَاهُم مِّن لَّدُنَّا أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا * وَلَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا (And if they had done what they were advised with, it would have been better for them and stronger in confirmation. And then We would have given them from Us a great reward. And We would have guided them to a straight path.)

Translation and Exegesis of Verses 67-69

Know that what is meant by وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ (And if they had done what they were advised with) is that they should act upon what they were commanded and instructed to do. This command and instruction are called wa'ẓ (admonition/advice) because Allah's commands are accompanied by promises and threats, encouragement and deterrence, reward and punishment. Anything described this way is termed wa'ẓ.

Then, Allah Almighty clarified that if they had committed themselves to these obligations, they would have attained various kinds of benefits:

This can mean that they would attain the good of this world and the Hereafter. Alternatively, it can mean exaggeration and preference, implying that this action would be more beneficial and superior to anything else, as the word khayr (good/better) is used in both senses.

There are several interpretations for this:

1. It means it would be closer to their stability and continuity, because obedience leads to similar acts, and what is done at one time encourages perseverance in it.
2. It means it would be more established and lasting, because truth is established and permanent, while falsehood is transient.
3. Humans first seek to acquire good things. Once acquired, they seek for that acquisition to be lasting and firm. Thus, لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ refers to the first state (acquisition), and وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا refers to the second state (preservation).

Know that after Allah Almighty clarified that this sincerity in faith is better than what they desire through hypocrisy and is more firm and lasting, He then clarified that just as it is good in itself, it also results in great blessings, namely the great reward and immense recompense.

The author of Al-Kashshāf said that وَإِذًا (wa idhan - and then) is the answer to an implied question, as if it were asked: What results from this goodness and steadfastness? The answer is: That We would give them from Us a great reward, similar to His saying: وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا (And He will give from Himself a great reward) (An-Nisa: 4).

I say that Allah Almighty has gathered in this verse many indicators, each pointing to the greatness of this reward:

1. Attribution to Himself with Majesty: He mentioned Himself using the form of majesty, آتَيْنَاهُم (We would have given them) and مِّن لَّدُنَّا (from Us). When the Wise Giver mentions Himself with a term indicating greatness when promising a gift, it points to the greatness of that gift.
2. The Specificity of "From Us": The phrase مِّن لَّدُنَّا (min ladunnā) indicates exaggeration, just as in وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا عِلْمًا (And We taught him knowledge from Us) (Al-Kahf: 65).
3. The Description "Great": Allah described this reward as ʿaẓīm (great). Anything described as great by the Greatest of the Great must be of the utmost majesty. How could it not be great, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "In it is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has conceived"?

There are two opinions regarding this:

1. The straight path (ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm) is the true religion (al-dīn al-ḥaqq). This is analogous to His saying: وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ * صِرَاطِ اللَّهِ (And indeed, you guide to a straight path * The path of Allah) (Ash-Shūra: 52-53).
2. It refers to the path (ṣirāṭ) that is the bridge on the Day of Resurrection. This is because Allah mentioned it after mentioning the reward. The true religion precedes the reward, whereas the path across the plain of Resurrection to Paradise is only needed after one has earned the reward. Therefore, interpreting the word ṣirāṭ here in this sense is more appropriate.

(And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - then those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor - of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions. * That is the bounty from Allah, and Allah is sufficient as Knowing.)