09-26-2004, 12:26 AM
Teachings of the Qur`aan
An-Nisaa
Soorah 4
Aayat 101 - 112
by Ayub A. Hamid
The next section deals with rules of praying salaah when Muslims venture out fighting in the way of Allaah. It should be remembered that when the Qur-aan talks about salaah, it is implied that it is the obligatory Salaatul-Jamaa’ah (congregational prayer).
The first verse gives permission to shorten salaah while travelling. According to this permission, as determined by the Sunnah of the Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam, the obligatory raka’aat for Zuhr, ‘Asr and ‘Ishaa are reduced to two, without reducing the obligatory raka’aat for Maghrib and Fajr.
101 And when you travel, it is not sin for you to shorten the salaah if you fear that the disbelievers will cause you distress; surely the disbelievers are your open enemy.
Although the context was travelling for fighting in Allaah’s way, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala used the occasion to grant this permission for all kinds of travelling. That is indicated by the wording “when you travel” instead of “when you travel in the way of Allaah” as used in the verse 94. The Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam himself shortened the salaah in non-military travels. Also, though the consideration mentioned for granting the permission is the danger from disbelievers, the permission remains applicable to other inconveniences or logistical issues encountered in travelling[1].
The wording of the verse clearly indicates that it is a concession granted in consideration of insecurities and inconveniences of a journey. When justified, this concession should be utilized without any reservations. When circumstances require, it is not in keeping with the Islamic spirit to forego a concession granted by Allaah SWT as a token of His mercy and kindness to people[2]. On the other hand, it also must not be treated as an obligation, because it is not. Many people treat it as an obligation and insist, promote and demand shortening of salaah even when the situation or circumstances do not warrant it. This is an extremism that is not supported by this verse at all.
Neither the Qur-aan nor the Prophet defined what “travel” is. Many people use a certain number of kilometres or miles to define “travel”. These distances have been calculated on the basis of some journeys of the Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam where he shortened the salaah, without taking into consideration multiple other factors that would have affected the decisions of the Prophet, such as the duration of the journey, the hardships, the logistical issues, the weather conditions, the security concerns, the general situation of the law and order, etc. Many people are misguided by this rigid, calculated definition of travel arrived at by such a one-sided and extremely narrow perspective. Consequently, they shorten the salaah while commuting within distances that they travel back and forth multiple times a day, which cannot be contemporarily regarded as travel by any stretch of the word and where shortening is not justifiable from any reasonable consideration.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and His Messenger Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam leave this kind of things to be determined by “Ma’roof” or “as recognized in the society”. Thus, no explicit definition from Allaah or His Messenger implies that the believers should determine if they are in travelling mode or not, according to the generally accepted concepts of the contemporary society, modes of transportation and circumstances and conditions of the traveller. Of course, they will do so under the guidance of Sunnah considering all the factors, conditions and circumstances that surrounded the travels of the Prophet. From this perspective, travel for a person who has only a donkey to ride on, will be totally different from the person who can hop on a helicopter or personal jet to go from place to place.
People can easily make their own judgments. For example, if a person can pray a salaah in his hometown on a timely basis and pray the next salaah on a timely basis after arriving at his destination, he has no need to shorten the salaah. But if he has to stop on the side of a road, rest area, transit lounge, in a train, in the air, etc. to offer the next salaah before time runs out, that is clearly a case for shortening the salaah. Similarly, if a person is a stranger at the place of his destination, he will be considered a traveller. But if he arrives at a friendly, familiar, Islamic environment in the company of the people who are offering all salaah with him on a timely basis, why would that person behave differently than his friends and hosts; unless by praying with them, he will miss his flight or train, etc. The imam and the community of one’s destination should be respected and people should pray behind the imam and with the host community normally without creating disturbance of arranging separate jamaa’ah for “travellers” as we frequently see people doing in Muslim gatherings.
Thus the important points to remember are that permission to shorten is only a concession from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, not an obligation; it is good to avail the concession when warranted; it should not be considered a must when circumstances do not warrant it; and whether a person is in travelling mode or not is determined by many factors, conditions and circumstances of the traveller.
The next verse gives rules of praying a shortened salaah in the battlefield when armies are not actively engaged:
102 And when you are among them and have stood up to lead them in salaah, let one party of them stand up for salaah with you, while holding on to their arms. Once they have performed prostration, let them go to your rear, and let the other party who have not prayed come up to pray with you while taking their precautions and holding on to their arms. Those who disbelieve desire you to be careless of your arms and your belongings so that they may assault you all at once with a sudden attack. However, if you are troubled by rain or if you are sick, there is no blame on you for putting away your arms, but continue to remain on your guard; surely Allaah has prepared a disgraceful punishment for the disbelievers. 103 Once you have finished salaah, remember Allaah standing, sitting and lying on your sides. Then, when you are secure from danger, establish salaah completely; surely salaah is a timed obligation for the believers.
Verse 103 reminds the believers of two important facts: Firstly, that the essence of salaah is the remembrance of Allaah SWT and that remembrance must continue fervently and continuously at all times after the salaah has been completed. Secondly, although the situation in the battlefield may warrant exceptions, in the regular daily life the salaah must be offered at its prescribed times.
In relation to the prescribed times of the salaah, this verse makes another important point: The matters obligated by the Prophet are indeed the obligations from Allaah. The Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam had taught Muslims to offer prayers at prescribed times while those times were not explicitly commanded in the Qur-aan. They are alluded to at various places in the Qur-aan, but the Muslims learnt them from the practical examples and teachings of the Prophet. This verse acknowledges that those matters taught by the Prophet were in fact obligations from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala.
The next verse is the concluding remark on the topic of fighting to protect the Islamic mission, Islamic reforms and Islamic systems from the attacks of its enemies.
104 And do not relent in pursuit of the enemy. If you are suffering hardships, they too are suffering similar hardships as you are suffering; but you hope from Allaah what they do not hope; and Allaah is Knowing, Wise.
These are very encouraging remarks for the believers. While the sufferings caused by the war imposed by the disbelievers are common to both sides, Muslims have a tremendous benefit in the sense that they are earning the pleasure and rewards from Allaah SWT, which are not available to the enemies. Hence, the Muslim should not relent or show any weakness. Rather they should stand up for the truth more bravely and more enthusiastically because no matter what happens to them in this life, they are victorious.
The next section deals with an improper reaction by some Muslims to another type of hypocritical behaviour. The occasion for these instructions was created by an incident where a so-called Muslim (whose behaviour was that of a hypocrite) stole another Muslim’s shield and pawned it with a Jew. When the owner complained to the Prophet, and the thief was confronted, he blamed the Jew for the theft. The Jew denied the allegation. The thief’s clique and clan spoke very strongly and vocally in his favour and against the Jew and tried their best to pressure the Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam to believe the thief’s plea and reject the Jew’s. When, under the guidance from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, the Prophet decided against the real culprit and honourably discharged the Jew, the “Muslim” hypocrite ran away and openly joined the enemies of Islam against the Islamic mission.
This incident is one example of the many hypocritical games that were played. The hypocrites used to indulge in many subversive activities secretly, but they used to pose in public as champions of good causes. When they were caught, many Muslims fooled by their propaganda would speak vocally in their favour. That continues to happen even in contemporary society. In fact, every society has people who on the surface are religious, law-abiding men of good words and worthy claims of noble works; but behind the scene, they commit crimes and practice vices. They usually are cliquish and maintain a group of strong supporters recruited under various pretexts who sympathize with them vocally. They plan their subversive and evil activities within their inner circle where they also develop public relation programs to promote their goodness in public view, to defend their activities, to fool authorities, and to avoid legal consequences. If or when they are caught, they append the blame to some innocent person who, for some reason, may not be well liked in the society. Their clique and their fooled supporters stand up in their defence, campaign for their “innocence” and pressure authorities to honourably discharge them while demanding punishment and strong action against the person who was wrongly blamed. This obviously is very much against the Islamic concept of justice for the establishment of which the Qur-aan has been revealed. Often, it may be politically correct, and usually politicians fall for it, to let the real culprit go and punish the wrongly accused to make an example of him. But Islam is for doing the right things, not the politically correct things. Hence, Muslims have been warned against defending anyone’s criminal activity of which they are personally aware.
105 Indeed We have revealed the Book to you with the truth so that you may judge among people according to what Allaah has taught you; and do not be a defender for those who betray their trust. 106 And seek forgiveness from Allaah; surely Allaah is Forgiving, Merciful. 107 And do not plead for those who betray themselves; surely Allaah does not like anyone who has been habitually treacherous, sinful. 108 They hide their crimes from people but they can never hide from Allaah. In fact, He is with them when they secretly talk about things that He does not approve of; and Allaah surrounds whatever they do. 109 Look! There you are, those who plead for them in the life of the world, but who will plead for them with Allaah on the Day of Judgment, or who shall be their advocate? 110 And whoever does evil or acts unjustly to himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allaah, he shall find Allaah Forgiving, Merciful. 111 And whoever commits a vice, he only commits it against himself; and Allaah is Knowing, Wise. 112 And whoever commits a blunder or a vice, then casts its blames on an innocent person, he indeed burdens himself with slander and flagrant vice.
Naturally, when the Prophet Sall Allahu `alayi wa sallam disregarded the pleadings and the vocal support from the Muslims, and took action against the hypocrites, many of those novice Muslims would feel ignored. To address that sentiment, the Qur-aan eloquently addresses the Prophet first, indirectly telling those Muslims that the Prophet is not free to listen to them. He has a job to do from Allaah. He has been given the Book to establish justice on the earth, not to favour criminals or to listen to those who stand up for those criminals. It also exposes the behind-the scene subversive activities of those hypocrites so that the Muslims understand they should not insist on their opinions without having all the facts or deliberately disregarding those facts. Then in verse 109 the message has been given to them point blank.
It should also be noted, as these verses remind, that those who cheat are actually cheating themselves and those who practice vices or crimes are in fact doing wrong to themselves. Although the society suffers from their actions, they are the first victims of their own evils because of the wrong effects of the crime on their own psyche and personality and because of the severe punishment that will be waiting for them in the hereafter. It should also be noted that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala never gives up on people. While the Qur-aan condemns the vices and crimes of people, it always does it in such a way that anyone who has any good left in him will learn from it, seek Allaah’s forgiveness and reform his behaviour
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[1] Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that the Prophet left Madeenah for Makkah and while he had no fear except that of Allaah SWT, he prayed only two raka’aat.
[2] When ‘Umar raised this matter with the Prophet, he said, “This is a charity that Allaah SWT has bestowed upon you, so accept His charity.”
Next: Verses 113 - 126