Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War): Verses 72–75

Classification of Believers During the Time of the Prophet (PBUH)

Know that the Almighty God divided the believers during the time of the Prophet (PBUH) into four categories, mentioning the ruling for each one. This division arose because the Prophet's (PBUH) prophethood became manifest in Mecca, where he called people to the religion. Then, he migrated from Mecca to Medina. Upon his migration, the believers became divided into two groups: those who accompanied him in the Hijra, and those who remained behind.

They are described by the verse: {Indeed, those who believed and emigrated and strove in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives...}

We specify that this refers to the Early Emigrants because the verse concludes with: {And those who believed afterward and emigrated...}

This establishes that these individuals possess four characteristics:

1. Belief: They believed in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, accepting all the commandments brought by Muhammad (PBUH) without rebellion. The phrase {Indeed, those who...} conveys this meaning.
2. Emigration (Hijra): They left their homelands, abandoning relatives and neighbors in pursuit of Allah's pleasure. This was an extremely difficult state, as Allah equates it to self-sacrifice: {Or expel yourselves from your homes} (An-Nisa: 66). They first abandoned old religions for Allah's pleasure, and secondly, they abandoned kin, friends, homelands, and neighbors for His pleasure.
3. Striving (Jihad) with Wealth and Self:
   • Wealth: When they left their homelands, their houses, properties, and farms were lost to the enemies. Furthermore, they required extensive spending due to their commitment, and they spent their wealth on military expeditions.
   • Self: They bravely faced the Battle of Badr without adequate equipment or preparation against enemies described as numerous and severe, indicating they had relinquished their attachment to life and offered their lives for Allah's cause.
4. Precedence: They were the first to undertake these actions and adhere to these states. This precedence holds great weight in strengthening the religion. Allah states: {Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest and fought; those are greater in degree than they who spent afterward and fought} (Al-Hadid: 10). Also: {And the first forerunners [in faith] among the Muhajirun and the Ansar and those who followed them with excellence - Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him} (At-Tawbah: 100).

Precedence merits virtue because their initiative encouraged others to emulate them, leading to strength and perfection. This is why Allah says: {And whoever saves one [life], it is as if he had saved all mankind} (Al-Ma'idah: 32), and the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever establishes a good precedent will have its reward and the reward of all who follow it until the Day of Resurrection." People's resolve strengthens when they see peers in religious and worldly affairs, just as hardships become lighter through shared experience. Thus, possessing these four qualities indicates the utmost virtue and highest rank for the Early Emigrants, necessitating their recognition as the leaders and masters of the Muslims.

This group consists of the believers who welcomed the Prophet (PBUH) after his migration. If they had not sheltered, supported, and offered their lives and wealth in service to the Prophet (PBUH) and the affairs of his companions, the objective would never have been achieved.

The status of the Emigrants must be superior to that of the Helpers for several reasons:

1. They were the forerunners in faith, which is the head of virtues.
2. They endured hardship and suffering for a long time from the disbelievers of Quraysh, a trial the Helpers did not face.
3. They suffered the harm resulting from leaving their homes, families, and neighbors, which the Helpers did not experience.
4. The door to accepting the religion and the Law was opened by the Emigrants; the Helpers followed their example. Since the one who sets a precedent receives reward for all who follow, the follower must be of a lower rank than the one followed.

These factors necessitate preferring the Early Emigrants over the Helpers in virtue, rank, and merit. This is why, wherever Allah mentions these two groups, He precedes the Emigrants, as is done in this verse.

After mentioning these two groups, Allah states: {Those are allies to one another}. There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of this Wala' (allegiance/guardianship):

• Al-Wahidi narrates from Ibn Abbas and all commentators that it means inheritance rights. They argued that Allah made emigration and support the cause for inheritance, superseding kinship. A relative who believed but did not emigrate did not inherit because he neither emigrated nor supported.
• Rebuttal: The term Wala' does not inherently imply inheritance. It signifies closeness, as established elsewhere in this book (e.g., "The Sultan is the Wali of one who has no Wali"). It does not imply inheritance. Wala' implies closeness, so it can be interpreted as mutual honoring, concern, specific assistance, and support, ensuring they act as one hand against enemies, where the love for another is like the love for oneself. Since the word allows for this meaning, interpreting it as inheritance is far from the word's direct indication, especially since they claim this ruling was abrogated by the subsequent verse: {And those in blood relation are more rightful to one another in the Book of Allah}. Why should we force the word to mean something it does not directly suggest, and then claim that ruling is abrogated by a verse mentioned alongside it? This is highly improbable unless there is a consensus among commentators, which is unlikely to be established here.

These are the believers during the Prophet's time who did not accompany him in the Hijra and remained in Mecca. They are referred to by: {And those who gave refuge and aided them—those are the true believers}. Allah clarifies their status in two ways:

1. The Denial of Full Allegiance: {But those who believed and did not emigrate have no claim of guardianship over you of any sort until they emigrate}.
   • Issue 1: The Nature of the Denied Wala': The Wala' denied here is the same Wala' affirmed for the first group. Those who interpreted the first as inheritance interpret this as the denial of inheritance, and vice versa. Those who argue for inheritance claim that if Wala' meant support, Allah would not have followed it with: {And if they seek your help in religion, then it is your duty to help them}, as the latter is clearly about religious allegiance. They argue the two must be different. This argument is weak because we interpreted the first Wala' as mutual honoring and respect, which is different from mere assistance. A person may assist a non-Muslim or a slave (in the sense of aid) without holding them in the high regard of Wala'. Thus, this argument fails.
   • Issue 2: The Condition of Emigration: {until they emigrate}. The phrase {you have no claim of guardianship over them of any sort} might suggest their allegiance is completely severed because they did not emigrate. Allah removes this misconception by saying {until they emigrate}, meaning if they were to emigrate, that allegiance would return and be fully established. The purpose is to encourage emigration, as a Muslim hearing that cutting off emigration severs allegiance, but emigration restores it perfectly, surely encourages migration. The goal of the Hijra was to increase the number of Muslims, their unity, mutual support, affection, strength, and to prevent dispersion.
   • Issue 3: Recitation: Hamza recited it with a kasra on the waw (wilāyatihim), while others used a fatha (walāyatihim). Al-Zajjaj said the fatha refers to support and lineage. The kasra (as in imārah or leadership) is used to distinguish meanings, though wilāyah (with kasra) can also refer to a craft like tailoring. Abu Ali al-Farisi preferred the fatha because Wala' here relates to religion, while the kasra relates to temporal authority.

2. The Obligation of Support: {But if they seek your help in religion, then it is your duty to help them}.
   • After clarifying the severance of the primary allegiance for this group, Allah clarifies that this does not mean complete disassociation, as with disbelievers. If these non-emigrating believers seek help in religion, then help them and do not abandon them. It is narrated that when the verse denying allegiance was revealed, Al-Zubayr asked if they should assist them if they sought aid. Then, {But if they seek your help in religion, then it is your duty to help them} was revealed.
   • However, Allah adds: {except against a people with whom you have a treaty}. This means it is not permissible to help them against a people with whom a covenant exists, as the treaty is a barrier.

{And those who disbelieve are allies to one another}.

• Issue 1: The Order of Mention: The arrangement in this verse is excellent. Allah mentioned three groups:
  1. The best: The believers among the Emigrants and Helpers, establishing mutual allegiance among them.
  2. The intermediate: The believers who did not emigrate. Due to their faith, they have honor, but due to abandoning the Hijra, they are in a lower state. Their ruling is intermediate: the full allegiance granted to the first group is denied, but they must be helped if they seek aid in religion. This is a middle ground between honor and humiliation.
  3. The disbelievers: They possess no quality that warrants any virtue. Therefore, Muslims must be completely cut off from them in all aspects; there should be no allegiance or support whatsoever. This sequence is perfectly structured.
• Issue 2: Inheritance Among Disbelievers: Some scholars argued that {And those who disbelieve are allies to one another} implies that disbelievers inherit from each other, regardless of their different faiths (e.g., a Magian inherits from an idolater). This argument is only valid if Wala' is interpreted as inheritance, which we have already discussed. The truth is that the disbelievers of Quraysh were extremely hostile to the Jews, but when Muhammad's (PBUH) call appeared, they allied and cooperated to harm and fight him. The verse refers to this cooperation. The underlying principle is that shared identity (or shared enmity) is a cause for bonding. Since polytheists, Jews, and Christians shared enmity toward Muhammad (PBUH), this caused them to unite and draw close to one another. This proves their enmity was not for religion's sake, as each group strongly rejected the others' faiths; rather, it stemmed purely from envy, malice, and obstinacy.

Allah concludes this section by stating: {And if you do not do it, there will be great trial and widespread corruption in the land}. If you do not follow these detailed commands, great tribulation and corruption will occur. This corruption manifests in several ways:

1. If Muslims mingled with disbelievers during the Muslims' weakness and small numbers, and the disbelievers' strength and large numbers, this mingling might cause Muslims to join the disbelievers.
2. If Muslims remained scattered, a great force would not emerge from them, emboldening the disbelievers against them.
3. As the Muslim community grows in number and strength daily, this encourages them in their path and encourages opponents to join them.

Allah then returns to mention the first and second categories again: {And those who believed and emigrated and strove in the cause of Allah, and those who gave refuge and aided them—those are the true believers. For them is forgiveness and a noble provision}.

This is not mere repetition. Previously, Allah mentioned them to establish their ruling (mutual allegiance). Here, He mentions them to emphasize their high status and great rank, which is shown in two ways:

1. Repetition Implies Importance: Repetition indicates increased attention to their status, signifying honor and exaltation.
2. Praise in Three Aspects:
   • {Those are the true believers}: The use of {those are} implies restriction (exclusivity), and {truly} implies exaggeration in describing them as being verifiably correct in the path of religion. This is true, as only one who is truthful in his religion would bear abandoning previous religions, leaving home and family, sacrificing life and wealth, and being among the foremost in these endeavors.
   • {For them is forgiveness}: The indefinite noun maghfirah (forgiveness) implies completeness, just as indefiniteness in {you will surely find them the most eager of people for life} (Al-Baqarah: 96) implies the completeness of that life. Meaning: they have complete forgiveness for all sins and consequences.
   • {And a noble provision}: This refers to a high and honorable reward.

In summary, Allah described their state in this world and the Hereafter. In this world, they are described as {the true believers}. In the Hereafter, the goal is either averting punishment (forgiveness) or attaining reward (noble provision). These high felicities were achieved because they turned away from bodily pleasures, leaving family and homeland, and sacrificing life and wealth. This serves as a reminder that there is no path to high felicity except by turning away from these physical desires.

This group consists of believers during the Prophet's time who initially did not emigrate with him but emigrated later: {And those who believed afterward and emigrated and strove with you—those are of you}.

• Issue 1: Meaning of "Afterward" (min ba'd): Al-Wahidi narrates from Ibn Abbas that it means after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (the second Hijra). Others say after the revelation of this verse, or after the Battle of Badr. The soundest view is that it means those who emigrated after the first Hijra. These are the followers who follow with excellence, as stated: {And those who followed them with excellence - Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him} (At-Tawbah: 100).
• Issue 2: Cessation of Hijra: The soundest opinion is that the Hijra ceased upon the Conquest of Mecca, as Mecca then became the land of Islam. Al-Hasan said Hijra never ceases. As for the Prophet's saying, "There is no Hijra after the Conquest," it refers to the specific Hijra that ended with the conquest and the strength of Islam. However, if Muslims are few in a land where disbelievers have strength, and emigrating from that land weakens the disbelievers, then Hijra becomes obligatory upon them, similar to the reason for migrating from Mecca to Medina.
• Issue 3: Rank: The phrase {those are of you} indicates that their rank is lower than that of the preceding Emigrants, as Allah included them among the honored group, which would only make sense if the first group was superior in honor.

This explains the four categories mentioned by Allah in this verse.

{And those in blood relation are more rightful to one another in the Book of Allah}.

• Issue 1: Abrogation: Those who interpreted the previous Wala' as inheritance rights claim this verse abrogates it. They argue that inheritance was previously based on support and emigration, but now it is abrogated, and inheritance is based only on kinship. {in the Book of Allah} refers to the shares mentioned in Surah An-Nisa. Those who interpreted the previous Wala' as support, love, and honor argue that since that Wala' was ambiguous enough to include inheritance, Allah clarified in this verse that inheritance rights are established only through kinship, unless specifically exempted by evidence. This interpretation removes the ambiguity and is preferable, as multiplying abrogations without necessity is not permissible.
• Issue 2: Imamate Claim: Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Al-Hasan ibn Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) used this verse in his letter to Abu Ja'far Al-Mansur to argue that the Imam after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was Ali ibn Abi Talib. He argued that {And those in blood relation are more rightful to one another} establishes priority, and since the verse does not specify the context of this priority, it must apply generally, thus including the Imamate. He argued that Abu Bakr could not have been among the kin, citing the narration that the Prophet (PBUH) sent Abu Bakr to deliver Surah Bara'ah, then sent Ali after him, saying, "No one should deliver it except a man from me," indicating Abu Bakr was not "from him."
  • The Response: If this reasoning were sound, Al-Abbas would have a greater claim to the Imamate, as he was closer to the Prophet (PBUH) than Ali. This was the response given by Abu Ja'far Al-Mansur.
• Issue 3: Inheritance of Distant Relatives (Dhawi Al-Arham): The companions of Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) used this verse to argue for the inheritance of distant relatives. Our companions responded that {And those in blood relation are more rightful to one another} is general regarding what this priority applies to. When Allah said {in the Book of Allah}, it means in the ruling Allah specified in His Book. Thus, this priority is restricted to the rulings Allah specified in His Book, which are only the inheritance shares of the Asabah (agnatic heirs). Therefore, this general term must only refer to that, and it does not extend to the inheritance of distant relatives.

Allah concludes the Surah: {Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things}. This means all the rulings mentioned and detailed are wise, correct, and beneficial, containing no futility or falsehood, because the Knower of all information judges only with what is right. This is analogous to when the angels asked, {Will You place upon it one who causes corruption and sheds blood?} (Al-Baqarah: 30), and Allah replied: {Indeed, I know that which you do not know}, meaning: since you know I am the Knower of all information, know that My judgment is free from error. The same applies here.

The exegesis of this Surah is completed, and to Allah belongs all praise and thanks, as He deserves and is worthy of.

Completed on Sunday in Ramadan, the year 601 [AH], in a village called Baghdan. We ask Allah for salvation from terrors, the severity of the times, and the malice of the oppressive and faithless. Indeed, He is the Sovereign, the Judge. And peace and blessings be upon the Beloved of the Merciful, Muhammad the Chosen, the possessor of miracles and clear proof.