Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 54

Issues Discussed:

There are two primary recitations for the word يرتدّ (revert):

1. Ibn 'Amir and Nafi': Read it with two dāl letters (يرتدد), indicating the explicit doubling (taḍ'īf).
2. The Rest of the Reciters: Read it with one dāl letter, which is geminated (shaddah) (يرتدّ).

Explanation:

• The first reading (two dāls) emphasizes the doubling/intensification.
• The second reading (one dāl with shaddah) involves assimilation (idghām).
• Al-Zajjaj stated that showing the two dāls is the original form, as the doubling of a consonant in a doubled root appears when the second consonant is quiescent (e.g., يمسسكم - yamassaskum in Al 'Imran: 140), although يمسكم (yamaskum) is also permissible in the language.

The author of Al-Kashshāf reported that the apostates were eleven groups:

Three Groups during the time of the Prophet (PBUH):

1. Banū Mudlij: Their leader was Dhu al-Himār (al-Aswad al-'Ansī), a soothsayer in Yemen who claimed prophethood, expelled the Prophet's agents, and was eventually killed by Fīrūz al-Daylamī. The Prophet informed the Muslims of his death the night it happened, and the news arrived the day after the Prophet's own passing.
2. Banū Ḥanīfah: The people of Musaylimah, who claimed prophethood. Musaylimah wrote to the Prophet claiming half the earth belonged to him, to which the Prophet replied that the earth belongs to Allah. Abū Bakr fought them, and Musaylimah was killed by Waḥshī (the killer of Hamzah).
3. Banū Asad: The people of Ṭulayḥah ibn Khuwaylid, who also claimed prophethood. The Prophet sent Khālid ibn al-Walīd against them. They were defeated, fled to Syria, and later embraced Islam sincerely.

Seven Groups during the time of Abū Bakr:

1. Fazārah (people of 'Uyaynah ibn Ḥiṣn).
2. Ghaṭafān (people of Qurrah ibn Salmah al-Qushayrī).
3. Banū Sulaym (people of al-Fujā'ah ibn 'Abd Yālīl).
4. Banū Yarbu' (people of Mālik ibn Nuwayrah).
5. Some of Banū Tamīm (people of Sajjāḥ bint al-Mundhir, who claimed prophethood and married Musaylimah).
6. Kindah (people of al-Ash'ath ibn Qays).
7. Banū Bakr ibn Wā'il in Bahrain (people of al-Ḥaṭṭām ibn Zayd). Allah sufficed Abū Bakr against them.

One Group during the time of 'Umar:

1. Ghassān (people of Jāblah ibn al-Aiham). Jāblah embraced Islam under 'Umar, but later apostatized. This happened when he struck a man whose cloak he accidentally stepped on. When the man demanded retribution (qiṣāṣ), Jāblah offered a high price (eventually 10,000), but the man insisted on qiṣāṣ. 'Umar granted him time to consider, whereupon Jāblah fled to the Romans and reverted.

The verse means: O believers, whoever among you turns away from Islam by apostatizing, know that Allah will bring forth other people who will support this religion in the most eloquent manner.

Al-Ḥasan (al-Baṣrī) said: Allah knew that some people would revert after the death of their Prophet, so He informed them that He would bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him. Under this interpretation, the verse is a prophecy about the unseen, and its fulfillment serves as a miracle.

There are differing opinions on who these people are:

• 'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, al-Ḥasan, Qatādah, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and Ibn Jurayj: They are Abū Bakr and his companions, as they were the ones who fought the apostates.
• 'Ā'ishah (RA): She said that when the Prophet (PBUH) died, the Arabs apostatized, hypocrisy became widespread, and the mountains stood firm against the tribulations that afflicted Abū Bakr.
• Al-Suddī: The verse was revealed concerning the Anṣār, as they were the ones who supported the Messenger and helped establish the religion.
• Mujāhid: It was revealed concerning the people of Yemen.
• A Marfū' Ḥadīth: When this verse was revealed, the Prophet (PBUH) pointed to Abū Mūsā al-Ash'arī and said, "They are the people of this man."
• Others: They are the Persians. It is narrated that when the Prophet (PBUH) was asked about this verse, he struck Salmān on the shoulder and said, "This man and his people." Then he said, "If faith were suspended on the Pleiades, men from the sons of Persia would attain it."
• A Group: It was revealed concerning 'Alī (AS). Two points support this:
  1. On the Day of Khaybar, when the Prophet (PBUH) handed the banner to 'Alī, he said, "Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love." This matches the description in the verse.
  2. The verse immediately following this one states: "Your allies are none other than Allah, His Messenger, and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakāh, and they bow [in prayer]" (Al-Ma'idah: 55), which is understood to be about 'Alī. Therefore, it is more appropriate for the preceding verse to also concern him.

Positions (Maqāmāt) Regarding the Verse:

This verse is strong evidence against the doctrine of the Imāmiyyah, whose belief is that everyone who affirmed the Caliphate and Imāmate of Abū Bakr became an apostate because they rejected the explicit designation (naṣṣ) of 'Alī's Imāmate.

Argument: If this were true, then according to the verse, Allah would have brought forth a people to fight them, conquer them, repel them, and nullify their power. Since the opposite occurred—the Rāfiḍah are the ones who are suppressed and prevented from openly declaring their false doctrines—their doctrine is proven false. This is evident to any just person.

We assert that this verse must refer to Abū Bakr (RA). Two proofs support this:

1. Specificity to Fighting Apostates: This verse is specifically about fighting the apostates (ahl al-riddah), and Abū Bakr was the one who undertook this fight, as explained earlier. It cannot refer to the Prophet (PBUH) because he did not fight the apostates. Furthermore, Allah said, "Allah will bring forth" (فسوف يأتي الله), which implies a future event relative to the time of revelation, meaning these people were not present at that time.
   • Objection: Abū Bakr was present at that time.
   • Rebuttal: (1) The people with whom Abū Bakr fought the apostates were not present [as a fighting force] at that moment. (2) The meaning is that Allah would bring forth people capable and established in this fighting. Although Abū Bakr was present, he was not yet independently in command of the fighting and ruling at the time of revelation. This resolves the objection.
   • Therefore, the verse cannot refer to the Prophet (PBUH) or 'Alī (AS), as 'Alī did not fight the apostates.

2. Refuting the Claim that Opponents of 'Alī were Apostates:
   • Objection: They argue that everyone who disputed 'Alī's Imāmate was an apostate.
   • Rebuttal: This is false for two reasons: (1) The term "apostate" applies to one who abandons Islamic laws. Those who disputed 'Alī did not outwardly abandon the laws, nor did 'Alī ever label them as apostates. This claim by the Rāfiḍah is a slander against all Muslims and against 'Alī himself. (2) If disputing the Imāmate constituted apostasy, then Abū Bakr and his people would also be apostates. If so, the verse demands that Allah bring forth others to conquer them and return them to the correct religion. Since this did not happen, we know that disputing 'Alī over the Imāmate is not apostasy. Thus, the verse cannot apply to 'Alī.
   • Furthermore, the verse cannot apply to the people of Yemen or Persia, as they did not fight the apostates. Even if they did, they were subordinates and followers, whereas Abū Bakr was the principal leader in that conflict. Applying the verse to the primary leader is more appropriate than applying it to followers. Thus, the verse is specific to Abū Bakr.

Second Proof for Abū Bakr's Specificity: Even if 'Alī fought apostates, Abū Bakr's fight against the apostates was of a higher status and greater impact on Islam. It is known by continuous narration (tawātur) that when the Prophet (PBUH) passed away, the Arabs rebelled. Abū Bakr subdued Musaylimah and Ṭulayḥah, fought the seven groups of apostates, and fought those who withheld zakāh. Through this, Islam stabilized, its power grew, and its dominion expanded. When 'Alī's time came, Islam was already widespread, the world's rulers were subdued, and Islam dominated all religions. Therefore, Abū Bakr's fighting had a greater effect in supporting and strengthening Islam than 'Alī's. Since the verse intends to glorify those who strive to strengthen and support the religion, and Abū Bakr undertook this task, he must be the intended party.

Since we have established that this verse is specific to Abū Bakr, we assert that the descriptions in the verse prove his rightful Imāmate:

1. "He will love them and they will love Him" (يحبهم ويحبونه): If Allah describes Abū Bakr this way, it is impossible for him to be unjust. This indicates he was correct in his Imāmate.
2. "Humble toward the believers, mighty against the disbelievers" (أذلة على المؤمنين أعزة على الكافرين): This is also a description of Abū Bakr. This is supported by the widely transmitted report that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "The most compassionate of my Ummah toward my Ummah is Abū Bakr." He was compassionate toward believers and severe toward disbelievers. Observe how he defended the Prophet in Mecca during the time of weakness, and how, during his Caliphate, he insisted on fighting those who withheld zakāh until the matter escalated, even when senior Companions pleaded with him to stop. His action led to the defeat of the rebels and became the beginning of the dominion of Islam. This description fits no one better than him.
3. "Striving in the cause of Allah, and fearing not the blame of any blamer" (يجاهدون فى سبيل الله ولا يخافون لومة لائم): This quality is shared by Abū Bakr and 'Alī, but Abū Bakr's share was more complete. His striving against the disbelievers occurred at the very beginning of the mission when Islam was weakest and disbelief strongest. He strove to the extent of his ability, defending the Prophet (PBUH) with all his might. 'Alī, however, began his major fighting at Badr and Uhud, when Islam was already strong and armies gathered. Thus, Abū Bakr's jihād was more complete for two reasons: (1) He preceded 'Alī chronologically, aligning with the verse, "Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest and fought" (Al-Ḥadīd: 10). (2) Abū Bakr's jihād was during the Prophet's weakness, while 'Alī's was during strength.
4. "That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills" (ذالك فضل الله يؤتيه من يشاء): This is fitting for Abū Bakr, especially when connected to the verse, "And let not those of virtue and bounty among you swear an oath to keep from giving to relatives..." (Al-Nūr: 22), which we established concerns Abū Bakr. Since we proved the verse must apply to Abū Bakr, these attributes must apply to him. If these attributes are true of him, his Imāmate must be valid, as these qualities would not suit an illegitimate ruler.

• Objection: Could these attributes apply to him during the Prophet's life, but cease after his death when he assumed the Imāmate?
• Rebuttal: This is definitively false because Allah said, "Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him," establishing that they possess these qualities at the future time when Allah brings them forth. This proves Allah testified to him possessing these qualities while fighting the apostates—which was the time of his Imāmate.

Refuting the Rāfiḍah Argument for 'Alī: They cite the Ḥadīth from Khaybar where the Prophet (PBUH) said he would give the banner to one who loves Allah and is loved by Allah.

• Rebuttal: This narration is Āḥād (singular chain), which they themselves do not accept as proof for matters of belief ('ilm). Furthermore, proving this attribute for 'Alī does not negate it for Abū Bakr. Even if it implied negation, it does not negate the entire collection of attributes. Since one attribute is being "unflinching in battle" (كرار غير فرار), which they claim was absent in Abū Bakr, the entire set of attributes is not present in him based on their interpretation (argument from implication, dalīl al-khiṭāb). However, the text does not explicitly negate the entire set for Abū Bakr. Crucially, the verse affirms these attributes specifically during the context of fighting the apostates, which occurred in the future relative to the revelation.

Moreover, our argument relies on the apparent meaning of the Qur'an, while theirs relies on a singular narration, which is contradicted by other narrations affirming Abū Bakr's love for Allah and His Messenger, and Allah's love and pleasure with him (e.g., "And soon will your Lord give you, and you will be pleased" [Al-Layl: 21]).

Refuting the Second Rāfiḍī Argument (Connection to the Next Verse): They claim the following verse proves 'Alī's Imāmate, so this verse must also concern him. Our response is that we do not concede that the following verse proves 'Alī's Imāmate, and we will discuss that later, God willing.

Detailed Exegesis of the Verse's Phrases:

1. "He will love them and they will love Him" (يحبهم ويحبونه): The detailed discussion on the nature of love was covered in Sūrat al-Baqarah (2:165). A subtle point here is that Allah precedes His love for them over their love for Him. This is correct because if Allah had not loved them first, He would not have granted them success to become lovers of Him.

2. "Humble toward the believers, mighty against the disbelievers" (أذلة على المؤمنين أعزة على الكافرين): This is similar to the verse, "harsh against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves" (Al-Fatḥ: 29).

• Al-Kashshāf explains: أذلة is the plural of dhalīl (humble). It does not mean they are humiliated, but rather an exaggeration of gentleness and softness. One who is humble toward someone does not show arrogance but only gentleness.
• أعزة على الكافرين: They show dominance and loftiness over the disbelievers. Some say it means they overpower them, derived from عزّه يعزّه (to overcome him).

• Inquiry: Why was it not said, "Humble to the believers" (للمؤمنين)?
• Response: (1) The preposition على implies that the humility is coupled with mercy and compassion, as if saying: merciful and compassionate toward them, manifested through humility and modesty. (2) The use of على indicates their high status and honor. Their humility is not due to inherent weakness, but rather they combine their high status with the virtue of modesty. The reading أذلة وأعزة (accusative, as a ḥāl) is also attested.

3. "Striving in the cause of Allah, and fearing not the blame of any blamer" (يجاهدون فى سبيل الله ولا يخافون لومة لائم): There are two interpretations for the conjunction (و):

1. As a Ḥāl (Circumstantial Particle): The hypocrites used to watch the disbelievers and fear their blame. Allah clarifies that those strong in faith do not fear the blame of any blamer when supporting Allah's religion by word or deed.
2. As Conjunction (Coordinating): It means their nature is to strive for Allah's cause without other motives, and their nature is to be firm in supporting the religion, unconcerned with the blame of critics. The use of the indefinite singular (لومة - one instance of blame) and indefinite critic (لائم) is for exaggeration, meaning they fear the blame of anyone whatsoever, at any time.

4. "That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills" (ذالك فضل الله يؤتيه من يشاء): ذالك refers to the preceding description: love, humility, might, striving, and fearlessness of blame. Allah clarifies that all of this is by His grace and favor. This explicitly confirms that the good deeds of servants are created by Allah. The Mu'tazilah interpret this as Allah creating facilitations (alṭāf), but this is weak because divine facilitations are general for everyone; thus, the specificity here must imply an additional benefit.

5. "And Allah is All-Encompassing [in His bounty], All-Knowing" (والله واسع عليم):

• Al-Wāsi' (All-Encompassing) refers to the perfection of His Power.
• Al-'Alīm (All-Knowing) refers to the perfection of His Knowledge. Since Allah informed us that He will bring forth people with these qualities, He confirms this by stating He is perfect in Power (He will not fail in this promise) and perfect in Knowledge (it is impossible for falsehood to enter His news or promises).

Verse 55: