Al-Ma'idah: (54) "O you who believe..."
It is read as man yartadda and man yartadid. The latter is in the Imam (the Uthmanic codex) with two dals. This is among the events foretold in the Quran before they occurred. It is said that the apostates consisted of eleven factions:
Three during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ):
- Banu Mudlij: Their leader was Dhu al-Khimar, al-Aswad al-Ansi. He was a soothsayer who claimed prophethood in Yemen, seized its lands, and expelled the Messenger’s governors. The Messenger (ﷺ) wrote to Mu'adh ibn Jabal and the leaders of Yemen, and Allah destroyed him at the hands of Fayruz al-Daylami, who entered his house and killed him. The Messenger (ﷺ) was informed of his death on the night it happened, which gladdened the Muslims. The Messenger (ﷺ) passed away the following day, and the news arrived at the end of Rabi' al-Awwal.
- Banu Hanifa: The people of Musaylima, who claimed prophethood. He wrote to the Messenger (ﷺ): "From Musaylima, the Messenger of Allah, to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. To proceed: half the earth is mine and half is yours." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: "From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Musaylima the Liar. To proceed: the earth belongs to Allah; He bequeaths it to whom He wills of His servants, and the outcome is for the righteous." Abu Bakr (ra) fought them with the armies of the Muslims, and he was killed by Wahshi, the killer of Hamza, who used to say: "I killed the best of people in the Age of Ignorance and the worst of people in Islam," meaning in his own ignorance and Islam.
- Banu Asad: The people of Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid, who claimed prophethood. The Messenger (ﷺ) sent Khalid against him; he fled to the Levant after the battle, then converted to Islam, and his Islam became sincere.
Seven during the time of Abu Bakr (ra):
Fazarah (the people of 'Uyayna ibn Hisn), Ghatafan (the people of Qurra ibn Salama al-Qushayri), Banu Sulaym (the people of al-Fuja'a ibn 'Abd Yalil), Banu Yarbu' (the people of Malik ibn Nuwayra), and a portion of Tamim (the people of Sajah bint al-Mundhir, the female claimant to prophethood who married Musaylima the Liar—about whom Abu al-'Ala' al-Ma'arri said: "Sajah perished, and Musaylima took her as a companion; a liar among the people of the world, and a liar"), Kinda (the people of al-Ash'ath ibn Qays), and Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il in Bahrain (the people of al-Hatim ibn Zayd). Allah sufficed the Muslims against them through Abu Bakr (ra).
One faction during the time of 'Umar (ra):
Ghassan (the people of Jabala ibn al-Aiham). His support was the latima (a caravan), and he sent him to the lands of the Romans after his Islam.
"Allah will bring a people..."
It is said that when this was revealed, the Messenger (ﷺ) pointed to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and said: "The people of this man." Others say they are two thousand from Nakha', five thousand from Kinda and Bajila, and three thousand from various tribes who fought at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah. Others say they are the Ansar. It is also said that the Messenger (ﷺ) was asked about them, so he struck his hand on the shoulder of Salman and said: "This man and his people." Then he said: "If faith were suspended at the Pleiades, men from the sons of Persia would reach it."
"He loves them and they love Him"
The love of the servants for their Lord is their obedience, seeking His pleasure, and not doing what incurs His wrath and punishment. The love of Allah for His servants is that He rewards them with the best reward for their obedience, honors them, praises them, and is pleased with them.
As for what the most ignorant of people—the greatest enemies of knowledge and its people, the most hateful toward the Sharia, and the worst in methodology—believe, even if their methodology is considered something by their peers among the ignorant and foolish—namely the fabricated sect of the Sufis and what they profess regarding "love" and "passion," singing on their platforms (may Allah destroy them) and in their dance halls (may Allah render them desolate) with verses of love poetry composed for beardless youths whom they call "martyrs," and their swooning which is far removed from the swooning of Moses when the Mount crumbled—Allah is far exalted above what they say. Among their sayings is: "Just as He loves them in His Essence, they love His Essence," claiming the pronoun refers to the Essence rather than the attributes. They also say: "The condition of love is that the 'ecstasies of love' must overtake one; if that is not present, there is no truth in it."
If you ask: "Where is the referent from the jaza' (consequent) to the noun containing the meaning of the condition?" I say: It is omitted. Its meaning is: "Allah will bring a people in their place, or a people other than them," or something similar.
"Humble toward the believers"
The plural of dhalil (humble/lowly). As for dhalul (docile), its plural is dhulul. Whoever claims it is from dhull (humility), which is the opposite of difficulty, has overlooked that dhalul is not pluralized as adhilla.
If you ask: "Why was it not said 'humble toward the believers, mighty toward the disbelievers'?" I say: There are two aspects. First, that dhull implies tenderness and affection, as if it were said: "affectionate toward them in a manner of humility and modesty." Second, that despite their nobility, high status, and superiority over the believers, they lower their wings to them. Similar to this is His saying: "Mighty against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves." It is also read as adhillatan and a'izzatan in the accusative as a state (hal).
"And they do not fear the blame of any critic"
The waw may be for the state (hal), meaning they strive while their state in striving is the opposite of the hypocrites—for the hypocrites were loyal to the Jews, and when they went out with the army of the believers, they feared their Jewish allies and would not do anything they knew would bring them blame. As for the believers, they strove for the sake of Allah, fearing no blame. Or, it may be a conjunction, indicating that among their qualities is striving in the path of Allah and being firm in their religion. When they embark on a religious matter—forbidding evil or commanding good—they proceed like heated nails; no speaker's word, no objector's protest, and no critic's blame terrifies them. The lawma (blame) is a single instance of lawm (blaming), and in the form and the indefiniteness, there is hyperbole, as if it were said: "They do not fear anything at all from the blame of any blamer."
"That"
A reference to what the people were described with: love, humility, might, striving, and the absence of fear of blame.
"Is the bounty of Allah"
He grants it.
"Which He gives to whom He wills"
From those whom He knows to be worthy of His grace.
"And Allah is All-Encompassing"
Possessing abundant bounties and graces.
"All-Knowing"
Of who is worthy of it.
