Tafsir of Al-Mujadilah 58:4

Al-Mujadilah (The Pleading Woman): Verse 4

{فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَاسَّا ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا}

Then, concerning the one unable to free a slave, Allah stated: {So whoever cannot [afford a slave], then [must fast] two consecutive months before they touch each other. And whoever is unable [to do so], then [must feed] sixty poor persons.}

This verse indicates that consecutiveness (تتابع) is a condition for the two months of fasting. It is also established for both freeing a slave and fasting that these acts must occur before sexual intercourse (أن يتماسا).

Furthermore, Allah stated that whoever is unable to do the preceding acts must feed sixty poor people. The verse does not explicitly mention that this feeding must occur before intercourse, but by consensus (الإجماع), it is treated the same as the first two obligations. Numerous jurisprudential issues derived from this verse are detailed in the books of Fiqh.

{ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۚ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ}

{That is so you may believe in Allah and His Messenger. And those are the limits of Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.}

Regarding the word {ذَٰلِكَ} (That), there are two interpretations:

1. Al-Zajjaj stated that it is in the nominative case (in the position of raf') and means: "This obligation that We have legislated is the decree."
2. "We have done this clarification and teaching of the rulings so that you may affirm Allah and His Messenger in acting upon His laws, and so that you do not persist in the customs of Jahiliyyah (ignorance), such as considering Zihar (a form of divorce) the strongest type of divorce."

There are several issues related to this verse:

Issue 1: The Mu'tazilah used the particle {لِـ} (li-) in {لِتُؤْمِنُوا} (so that you may believe) as evidence that Allah's actions are motivated by a purpose (غرض). Their argument is that His purpose is for you to believe in Allah and cease persisting in the disbelief you held during the Jahiliyyah. This implies that Allah intended for them to have faith and abandon disbelief.

Issue 2: Those who include actions (العمل) within the definition of faith (الإيمان) used this verse as evidence. They argue that Allah commanded them with these specific actions and clarified that He commanded them so that by performing these acts, they would become believers. Thus, the verse indicates that action is part of faith.

Those who disagree argue that Allah did not say, "That is so you may believe in Allah by doing these things." We (the opposing view) maintain that the meaning is: "That is so you may believe in Allah by acknowledging these rulings."

Furthermore, Allah emphasized the necessity of obedience: {وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ} (And those are the limits of Allah), meaning these are the boundaries set by Him. {وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ} (And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment), meaning for those who deny and reject these rulings.

{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ وَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ ۗ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ}

{Indeed, those who oppose Allah and His Messenger will be subdued just as those before them were subdued. And We have certainly sent down clear verses. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment.}