The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces, The Allies — Verse 24

Praise for the Believers' Attitude, and leaving the ultimate Fate of the Hypocrites to Allah When Allah mentions how the hypocrites broke their promise to Him that they would not turn their backs, He describes the believers as firmly adhering to their covenant and their promise: صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـهَدُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ (they have been true to their covenant with Allah; of them some have fulfilled their Nahbah;) Some of them said: "Met their appointed time (i.e., death)." Al-Bukhari said, "Their covenant, and refers back to the beginning of the Ayah." وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبْدِيلاً (and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed in the least.) means, they have never changed or broken their covenant with Allah. Al-Bukhari recorded that Zayd bin Thabit said: "When we wrote down the Mushaf, an Ayah from Surat Al-Ahzab was missing, which I used to hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting. I did not find it with anyone except Khuzaymah bin Thabit Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, whose testimony the Messenger of Allah ﷺ counted as equal to that of two other men. (The Ayah in question was:) مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـهَدُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ (Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah;)" This was recorded by Al-Bukhari but not by Muslim, It was also recorded by Ahmad in his Musnad, and by At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i in the chapters on Tafsir in their Sunans. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih. Al-Bukhari also recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "We think that this Ayah was revealed concerning Anas bin An-Nadr, may Allah be pleased with him: مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـهَدُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ (Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah.)" This was reported only by Al-Bukhari, but there are corroborating reports with other chains of narration. Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said: "My paternal uncle Anas bin Al-Nadr, may Allah be pleased with him, after whom I was named, was not present with this Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Badr, and this distressed him. He said: `The first battle at which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was present, and I was absent; if Allah shows me another battle with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah will see what I will do!' He did not want to say more than that. He was present with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Uhud, where he met Sa`d bin Mu`adh, may Allah be pleased with him. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him, `O Abu `Amr! Where are you going' He replied, `I long for the fragrance of Paradise and I have found it near the mountain of Uhud.' He fought them until he was killed, may Allah be pleased with him. Eighty-odd stab wounds and spear wounds were found on his body, and his sister, my paternal aunt Ar-Rabayyi` bint Al-Nadr said, `I only recognized my brother by his fingertips.' Then this Ayah was revealed: مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـهَدُواْ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبْدِيلاً (Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah; of them some have fulfilled their Nahbah; and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed in the least.) They used to think that it had been revealed concerning him and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them." This was also recorded by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Ibn Jarir narrated that Musa bin Talhah said: "Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «طَلْحَةُ مِمَّنْ قَضَى نَحْبَه» (Talhah is one of those who have fulfilled their Nahbah.)"' Mujahid said concerning the Ayah: فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ (of them some have fulfilled their Nahbah;) "Their covenant, وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَنتَظِرُ (and some of them are still waiting) they are waiting for battle so that they can do well. " Al-Hasan said: فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن قَضَى نَحْبَهُ (of them some have fulfilled their Nahbah;) "They died true to their covenant and loyal, and some are still waiting to die in a similar manner, and some of them have never changed in the least." This was also the view of Qatadah and Ibn Zayd. Some of them said that the word Nahbah means a vow. وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبْدِيلاً (but they have never changed in the least.) means, they never changed their covenant or were disloyal or committed treachery, but they persisted in what they had promised and did not break their vow, unlike the hypocrites who said: إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِىَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَاراً ("Truly, our homes lie open." And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.) 33:13 وَلَقَدْ كَانُواْ عَـهَدُواْ اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لاَ يُوَلُّونَ الاٌّدْبَـرَ (And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs,) 33:15 لِّيَجْزِىَ اللَّهُ الصَّـدِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْالْمُنَـفِقِينَ إِن شَآءَ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ (That Allah may reward the men of truth for their truth, and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or accept their repentance by turning to them.) Allah tests His servants with fear and shaking so as to tell the evil from the good, as each will be known by his deeds. Although Allah knows what the outcome will be before anything happens, still He does not punish anyone on the basis of His knowledge until they actually do what He knows they will do. As Allah says: وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ الْمُجَـهِدِينَ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّـبِرِينَ وَنَبْلُوَ أَخْبَـرَكُمْ (And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard and patient, and We shall test your facts.) (47:31). This refers to knowing something after it happens, even though Allah knows it before it comes to pass. Allah says: مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ (Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Unseen) (3:179). Allah says here: لِّيَجْزِىَ اللَّهُ الصَّـدِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ (That Allah may reward the men of truth for their truth,) meaning, for their patience in adhering to the covenant they had made with Allah and keeping their promise. الْمُنَـفِقِينَ (and punish the hypocrites, ) who are the ones who broke the covenant and went against the commands of Allah, for which they deserve to be punished, but they are subject to His will in this world. If He wills, He will leave them as they are until they meet Him in the Hereafter, when He will punish them, or if He wills, He will guide them to give up their hypocrisy and to believe and do righteous deeds after they had been wrongdoers and sinners. Since His mercy and kindness towards His creation prevail over His wrath, He says: إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً (Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

that God may reward the truthful for their truthfulness and chastise the hypocrites if He will by causing them to die in a state of hypocrisy or relent to them. Surely God is Forgiving to he who repents Merciful to him.

ليثيب الله أهل الصدق بسبب صدقهم وبلائهم وهم المؤمنون، ويعذب المنافقين إن شاء تعذيبهم، بأن لا يوفقهم للتوبة النصوح قبل الموت، فيموتوا على الكفر، فيستوجبوا النار، أو يتوب عليهم بأن يوفقهم للتوبة والإنابة، إن الله كان غفورًا لذنوب المسرفين على أنفسهم إذا تابوا، رحيمًا بهم؛ حيث وفقهم للتوبة النصوح.

وقوله تعالى "ليجزي الله الصادقين بصدقهم ويعذب المنافقين إن شاء أو يتوب عليهم "أي إنما يختبر عباده بالخوف والزلزال ليميز الخبيث من الطيب فيظهر أمر هذا بالفعل وأمر هذا بالفعل مع أنه تعالى يعلم الشيء قبل كونه ولكن لا يعذب الخلق بعلمه فيهم حتى يعملوا بما يعلمه منهم كما قال تعالى "ولنبلونكم حتى نعلم المجاهدين منكم والصابرين ونبلو أخباركم "فهذا علم بالشيء بعد كونه وإن كان العلم السابق حاصلا به قبل وجوده وكذا قال الله تعالى "ما كان الله ليذر المؤمنين على ما أنتم عليه حتى يميز الخبيث من الطيب وما كان الله ليطلعكم على الغيب "ولهذا قال تعالى ههنا "ليجزي الله الصادقين بصدقهم "أي بصبرهم على ما عاهدوا الله عليه وقيامهم به ومحافظتهم عليه "ويعذب المنافقين "وهم الناقضون لعهد الله المخالفون لأوامره فاستحقوا بذلك عقابه وعذابه ولكن هم تحت مشيئته في الدنيا إن شاء استمر بهم على ما فعلوا حتى يلقوه فيعذبهم عليه. وإن شاء تاب عليهم بأن أرشدهم إلى النزوع عن النفاق إلى الإيمان والعمل الصالح بعد الفسوق والعصيان ولما كانت رحمته ورأفته بخلقه هي الغالبة لغضبه قال "إن الله كان غفورا رحيما ".

ثم بين - سبحانه - الحكمة من هذا الابتلاء والاختبار فقال : ( لِّيَجْزِيَ الله الصادقين بِصِدْقِهِمْ ) .أى : فعل - سبحانه - ما فعل فى غزوة الأحزاب من أحداث ، ليجزى الصادقين فى إيمانهم الجزاء الحسن الذى يستحقونه بسبب صدقهم ووفائهم .( وَيُعَذِّبَ المنافقين إِن شَآءَ ) أى : إن شاء تعذيبهم بسبب موتهم على نفاقهم .( أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ) من نفاقهم بفضله وكرمه فلا يعذبهم .قال الجمل : وقوله : ( وَيُعَذِّبَ المنافقين إِن شَآءَ ) جوابه محذوف ، وكذلك مفعول ( شَآءَ ) محذوف - أيضا - إن شاء تعذيبهم عذبهم .والمراد بتعذيبهم إماتتهم على النفاق ، بدليل العطف فى قوله ( أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ) .( إِنَّ الله ) - تعالى - ( كَانَ ) وما زال ( غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ) أى : واسع المغفرة والرحمة لمن يشاء من عباده .

وقوله: (ليَجْزِيَ اللهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بصِدْقهِمْ) يقول تعالى ذكره (مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ رِجالٌ صَدَقُوا ما عاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ .... لِيَجْزِيَ اللهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بصِدْقِهِمْ) : يقول: ليثيب الله أهل الصدق بصدقهم الله بما عاهدوه عليه، ووفائهم له به (وَيُعَذِّبَ المُنافِقِينَ إنْ شاءَ) بكفرهم بالله ونفاقهم (أوْ يَتُوبَ عَليهِمْ) من نفاقهم، فيهديهم للإيمان.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قَتادة ( وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ) يقول: إن شاء أخرجهم من النفاق إلى الإيمان.إن قال قائل: ما وجه الشرط في قوله: (وَيُعَذِّبَ المُنافِقِينَ) بقوله: (إنْ شاءَ) والمنافق كافر وهل يجوز أن لا يشاء تعذيب المنافق، فيقال: ويعذّبه إن شاء؟ قيل: إن معنى ذلك على غير الوجه الذي توهمته. وإنما معنى ذلك: ويعذّب المنافقين بأن لا يوفقهم للتوبة من نفاقهم حتى يموتوا على كفرهم إن شاء، فيستوجبوا بذلك العذاب، فالاستثناء إنما هو من التوفيق لا من العذاب إن ماتوا على نفاقهم.وقد بين ما قلنا في ذلك قوله: (أوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ) فمعنى الكلام إذن: ويعذّب المنافقين إذ لم يهدهم للتوبة، فيوفقهم لها، أو يتوب عليهم فلا يعذّبهم.وقوله: (إنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيما) يقول: إن الله كان ذا ستر على ذنوب التائبين، رحيما بالتائبين أن يعاقبهم بعد التوبة.

قوله - عز وجل - : ( ليجزي الله الصادقين بصدقهم ) أي جزاء صدقهم ، وصدقهم هو الوفاء بالعهد ( ويعذب المنافقين إن شاء أو يتوب عليهم ) فيهديهم إلى الإيمان ( إن الله كان غفورا رحيما )

لِيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا (24)لام التعليل يتنازعه من التعلق كل من { صدقوا } و { ما بَدلوا } [ الأحزاب : 23 ] أي : صدق المؤمنون عهدهم وبدَّله المنافقون ليجزي الله الصادقين ويعذّب المنافقين .ولام التعليل بالنسبة إلى فعل { ليجزي الله الصادقين } مستعمل في حقيقة معناه ، وبالنسبة إلى فِعل { ويُعذب } مستعار لمعنى فاء العاقبة تشبيهاً لعاقبة فعلهم بالعلة الباعثة على ما اجترحُوه من التبديل والخيس بالعهد تشبيهاً يفيد عنايتهم بما فعلوه من التبديل حتى كأنهم ساعون إلى طلب ما حَقَّ عليهم من العذاب على فعلهم ، أو تشبيهاً إياهم في عنادهم وكيدهم بالعالم بالجزاء الساعي إليه وإن كان فيه هلاكه .والجزاء : الثواب لأن أكثر ما يستعمل فعل جَزى أن يكون في الخير ، ولأن ذكر سبب الجزاء وهو { بصدقهم } يدل على أنه جزاء إحسان ، وقد جاء الجزاء في ضد ذلك في قوله تعالى { اليوم تُجْزَوْن عذابَ الهون } في سورة الأنعام ( 93 ) . وإظهار اسم الجلالة في مقام إضماره للدلالة على عظمة الجزاء .وتعليق التعذيب على المشيئة تنبيه لهم بسَعَة رحمة الله وأنه لا يقطع رجاءهم في السعي إلى مغفرة ما أتوه بأن يتُوبوا فيتوب الله عليهم فلما قابل تعذيبه إياهم بتوبته عليهم تعين أن التعذيب باققٍ عند عدم توبتهم لقوله في الآية الأخرى : { إن الله لا يغفر أن يُشْرَك به } [ النساء : 48 ] . والتوبة هنا هي التوبة من النفاق ، أي : هي إخلاص الإيمان ، وقد تاب كثير من المنافقين بعد ذلك ، منهم معتِّب بن قشير .وجملة { إن اللَّه كان غفوراً رحيماً } تعليل للجزاء والتعذيب كليهما على التوزيع ، أي غفور للمذنب إذا أناب إليه ، رحيم بالمحسن أن يجازيه على قدر نصبه .وفي ذكر فعل كان } إفادة أن المغفرة والرحمة صفتان ذاتيتان له كما قدمناه غير مرة ، من ذلك عند قوله تعالى { أكان للناس عجباً أن أوحينا } في أول سورة يونس ( 2 ) .

{ لِيَجْزِيَ اللَّهُ الصَّادِقِينَ بِصِدْقِهِمْ } أي: بسبب صدقهم، في أقوالهم، وأحوالهم، ومعاملتهم مع اللّه، واستواء ظاهرهم وباطنهم، قال اللّه تعالى: { هَذَا يَوْمُ يَنْفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا } الآية.أي: قدرنا ما قدرنا، من هذه الفتن والمحن، والزلازل، ليتبين الصادق من الكاذب، فيجزي الصادقين بصدقهم { وَيُعَذِّبَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ } الذين تغيرت قلوبهم وأعمالهم، عند حلول الفتن، ولم يفوا بما عاهدوا اللّه عليه.{ إِنْ شَاءَ } تعذيبهم، بأن لم يشأ هدايتهم، بل علم أنهم لا خير فيهم، فلم يوفقهم.{ أَوْ يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ } بأن يوفقهم للتوبة والإنابة، وهذا هو الغالب، على كرم الكريم، ولهذا ختم الآية باسمين دالين على المغفرة، والفضل، والإحسان فقال: { إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رحيمًا } غفورًا لذنوب المسرفين على أنفسهم، ولو أكثروا من العصيان، إذا أتوا بالمتاب. { رَحِيمًا } بهم، حيث وفقهم للتوبة، ثم قبلها منهم، وستر عليهم ما اجترحوه.

ليجزي الله الصادقين بصدقهم أي أمر الله بالجهاد ليجزي الصادقين في الآخرة بصدقهم . ويعذب المنافقين في الآخرة إن شاء أي إن شاء أن يعذبهم لم يوفقهم للتوبة ، وإن لم يشأ أن يعذبهم تاب عليهم قبل الموت . أو يتوب عليهم إن الله كان غفورا رحيما .

The lives of the Prophet and his companions were of an exemplary, godly character and were meant to be followed by all the faithful till the Day of Judgement. They set an example to show what it means to seek God’s pleasure and merit success in the Hereafter; what is meant by remembering God; how to be steady and persevering in difficult times; how reliance is placed on the promises of God; what ever-increasing faith is and how it is achieved; and how to fulfill the vows taken before God. The Prophet and his companions set the final example in all these matters. Under the most difficult circumstances, they did not falter. They were the embodiment of Islamic thought and Islamic character in all matters. Before the arrival of the moment of trial, they were firm in their acceptance of Truth and even after the arrival of that moment they remained unwavering. Then, it was the life of the Prophet and his companions which set an example and showed that no decision was taken by God, unless one was put to the test. It is the way of God that He creates severe conditions so as to separate the truly faithful from the false claimants. In this Divine precept and practice, there was no exception earlier and neither will there be any exception in future.

The second state mentioned here is that of the hypocrites for they had started saying that the promises of Allah and His Rasul ﷺ were a web of deception: إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَ‌ضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا اللَّـهُ وَرَ‌سُولُهُ إِلَّا غُرُ‌ورً‌ا (And (remember) when the hypocrites and those having malady in their hearts were saying, "Allah and His messenger did not promise us but deceitfully; -12). This was an externalized demonstration of their inner disbelief. Onward from here, mention has been made of two groups of hypocrites who were practically a part of the Jihad effort along with Muslims, though outwardly only. One of the two groups started running without any permission saying: وَإِذْ قَالَت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَا أَهْلَ يَثْرِ‌بَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ فَارْ‌جِعُوا (and when a group of them said, "0 people of Yathrib (Madinah), there is no place for you to stay; so go back. - 13" And the other group requested the permission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to go back on the basis of false excuses. Their conduct has been mentioned as: وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَرِ‌يقٌ مِّنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَ‌ةٌ (And a group of them was seeking permission (to leave) from the prophet, saying, "In fact our homes are vulnerable," while they were not vulnerable - 13). Thus, the Qur'an exposed the hollowness of their excuses as a pack of lies. The truth of the matter was no more than that they intended to run from the battlefront:إِن يُرِ‌يدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَ‌ارً‌ا (They wanted nothing but to escape - 13). Taken up in the next several verses is their mischief-making and enmity with Muslims following which their sad end has been pointed out. After that, the text mentions sincere believers and praises their firmness and fortitude. In the same connection, there comes a strong assertion of the need to obey and follow the Holy Prophet ﷺ almost in the form of a legal rule of conduct: لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَ‌سُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ (There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah - 21). From here it stands proved that all sayings and doings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ have to be followed. But, the Shari'ah authorities have explained the rule about the different degrees of following required from a Muslim. The rule is that any act or omission of the Holy Prophet ﷺ proved to have been done as an obligation would have to be obeyed and followed as wajib (obligatory, necessary). And any act or omission on his part that is proved to have been done as a preferable conduct (istihbab) and not as an obligatory one, should be followed by us too as a commendable (mustahab) conduct and not as a necessary obligation This, in other words, means that its contravention will not be declared to be a sin. (For a detailed discussion, see al-Jassas in Ahkam ul-Qur'an) The last three (25-27) of the cited verses refer to the event relating to Banu Quraizah. In verse 26: وَأَنزَلَ الَّذِينَ ظَاهَرُ‌وهُم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ it was said that Allah Ta’ ala had, by putting the awe of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Muslim followers into the hearts of the people of the Book who had helped the Confederate forces, made them come down from their strong fortresses and had thus made Muslims the inheritors of their properties, homes and areas of concentration. In the last verse (27), good news of future victories has been given. Gone is the time when disbelievers attacked. Now the cycle of Muslim victories will begin and they will come to be on lands their feet have not touched yet. And this prophecy unfolded itself during the tenure of the noble Sahabah and everyone witnessed the spectacle of great empires ruled by Cyrus and Caesar come under them. And Allah does what He wills.

(That Allah may reward the true men for their truth) that Allah may reward the loyal for their loyalty, (and punish the hypocrites if He will) if they die as hypocrites, (or relent towards them (if He will)) before they die. (Lo! Allah is Forgiving) He forgives those who repent, (Merciful) he shows mercy towards those who die repentant.