The Spoils of War — Verse 28

Reason behind revealing This Ayah, and the prohibition of Betrayal The Two Sahihs mention the story of Hatib bin Abi Balta`ah. In the year of the victory of Makkah he wrote to the Quraysh alerting them that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to march towards them. Allah informed His Messenger of this, and he sent a Companion to retrieve the letter that Hatib sent, and then he summoned him. He admitted to what he did. `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Should I cut off his head, for he has betrayed Allah, His Messenger and the believers" The Prophet said, «دَعْهُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ: اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُم» (Leave him! He participated in Badr. How do you know that Allah has not looked at those who participated in Badr and said, Do whatever you want, for I have forgiven you.) However, it appears that this Ayah is more general, even if it was revealed about a specific incident. Such rulings are dealt with by their indications, not the specific reasons behind revealing them, according to the majority of scholars. Betrayal includes both minor and major sins, as well those that affect others. `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah, وَتَخُونُواْ أَمَـنَـتِكُمْ (nor betray your Amanat) "The Amanah refers to the actions that Allah has entrusted the servants with, such as and including what He ordained. Therefore, Allah says here, لاَ تَخُونُواْ (nor betray...), `do not abandon the obligations."' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd commented, "Allah forbade you from betraying Him and His Messenger, as hypocrites do." Allah said, وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ (And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial.) from Him to you. He grants these to you so that He knows which of you will be grateful and obedient to Him, or become busy with and dedicated to them instead of Him. Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward.) 64:15, وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً (And We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good.) 21:35, يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَـسِرُونَ (O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.)63:9, and, يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَجِكُمْ وَأَوْلـدِكُمْ عَدُوّاً لَّكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ (O you who believe! Verily, among your wives and your children there are enemies for you (who may stop you from the obedience of Allah); therefore beware of them!) 64:14 Allah said next, وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (And that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.) Therefore, Allah's reward, favor and Paradise are better for you than wealth and children. Certainly, among the wealth and children there might be enemies for you and much of them avail nothing. With Allah alone is the decision and sovereignty in this life and the Hereafter, and He gives tremendous rewards on the Day of Resurrection. In the Sahih, there is a Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «ثَلَاثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ، وَجَدَ بِهِنَّ حَلَاوَةَ الْإِيمَانِ: مَنْ كَانَ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُحِبُّ الْمَرْءَ لَا يُحِبُّهُ إِلَّا للهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَ أَنْ يُلْقَى فِي النَّارِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْقَذَهُ اللهُ مِنْه» (There are three qualities for which whomever has them, he will have tasted the sweetness of faith. (They are:) whoever Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anyone else, whoever loves a person for Allah's sake alone, and whoever prefers to be thrown in fire rather than revert to disbelief, after Allah has saved him from it.) Therefore, loving the Messenger of Allah ﷺ comes before loving children, wealth and oneself. In the Sahih, it is confirmed that he said, «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِين» (By He in Whose Hand is my soul! None of you will have faith unless I become dearer to him than himself, his family, his wealth and all people.)

And know that your wealth and your children are a trial for you impeding you from the concerns of the Hereafter; and that with God is a tremendous wage so do not forfeit it by giving undue attention to wealth and children acting treacherously for the sake of preserving them.

And know that your wealth and your children are a trial, that is, [they are] a veiling for you, by virtue of the fact that you are distracted thereby from God, or [that they are] a form of idolatry, because of the fact that you love them as you love God, and that with God is a tremendous wage, so seek this [wage] by disengaging from them and by being mindful of the dues of God in them.

And know that your wealth and your children are a trial, that is, [they are] a veiling for you, by virtue of the fact that you are distracted thereby from God, or [that they are] a form of idolatry, because of the fact that you love them as you love God, and that with God is a tremendous wage, so seek this [wage] by disengaging from them and by being mindful of the dues of God in them.

واعلموا -أيها المؤمنون- أن أموالكم التي استخلفكم الله فيها، وأولادكم الذين وهبهم الله لكم اختبار من الله وابتلاء لعباده؛ ليعلم أيشكرونه عليها ويطيعونه فيها، أو ينشغلون بها عنه؟ واعلموا أن الله عنده خير وثواب عظيم لمن اتقاه وأطاعه.

وقوله "واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة" أي اختبار وامتحان منه لكم إذ أعطاكموها ليعلم أتشكرونه عليها وتطيعونه فيها أو تشتغلون بها عنه وتعتاضون بها منه كما قال تعالى "إنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة والله عنده أجر عظيم" وقال "ونبلوكم بالشر والخير فتنة" وقال تعالى "يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تلهكم أموالكم ولا أولادكم عن ذكر الله ومن يفعل ذلك فأولئك هم الخاسرون" وقال تعالى "يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن من أزواجكم وأولادكم عدوا لكم فاحذروهم" الآية وقوله "وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم" أي ثوابه وعطاؤه وجناته خير لكم من الأموال والأولاد فإنه قد يوجد منهم عدو وأكثرهم لا يغني عنك شيئا والله سبحانه هو المتصرف المالك للدنيا والآخرة ولديه الثواب الجزيل يوم القيامة. وفي الأثر يقول الله تعالى "يا ابن آدم اطلبني تجدني فإن وجدتني وجدت كل شيء وإن فتك فاتك كل شيء وأنا أحب إليك من كل شيء" وفي الصحيح عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال "ثلاث من كن فيه وجد حلاوة الإيمان: من كان الله ورسوله أحب إليه مما سواهما ومن كان يحب المرء لا يحبه إلا لله ومن كان أن يلقى في النار أحب إليه من أن يرجع إلى الكفر بعد إذ أنقذه الله منه". بل حب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مقدم على الأولاد والأموال والنفوس كما ثبت في الصحيح أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "والذي نفسي بيده لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من نفسه وأهله وماله والناس أجمعين".

ولما كان حب الأموال والأولاد والاشتغال بهم من أهم دواعى الاقدام على الخيانة ، نبه - سبحانه - إلى ذلك فقال : ( واعلموا أَنَّمَآ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلاَدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ الله عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ) .أى : واعلموا - أيها المؤمنون - أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة ، أى امتحان واختبار لكم من الله - تعالى - ليتبين قوى الإِيمان من ضعيفه .أما قوى الإِيمان فلا يشغله ماله وولده عن طاعة الله ، وأما ضعيف الإِيمان فيشغله ذلك عن طاعة الله ويجعله يعيش حياته عبداً لأمواله ، ومطيعا لمطالب أولاده حتى ولو كانت هذه الطاعة متنافية مع تعاليم دينه وآدابه .وقال صاحب المنار : الفتنة هى الاختبار والامتحان بما يشق على النفس فعله أو تركه ، أو قبوله أو إنكاره .وأموال الإِنسان عليها مدار حياته ، وتحصيل رغائبه وشهواته ، ودفع كثير من المكاره عنه ، فهو يتكلف فى طلبها المشاق ، ويكرب الصعاب ، ويكلفه الشرع يها التزام الحلال واجتناب الحرام ، ويرغبه فى القصد والاعتدال فى إنفاقها .وأما الأولاد فحبهم - كما يقول الأستاذ الامام - ضرب من الجنون يلقيه الفاطر الحكيم فى قلوب الأمهات والاباء ، فيحملهم على بذل كل ما يستطاع بذله فى سبيلهم .روى أبو ليلى من حديث أبى سعيد الخدرى مرفوعا " الولد ثمرة القلب ، وإنه مجبنة مبخلة محزنة " . فحب الولد قد يحمل الوالدين على اقتراف الآثام ، وعلى الجبن ، وعلى البخل ، وعلى الحزن .فالواجب على المؤمن اتقاء خطر الفتنة الأولى يسكب المال من وجوهه الحلال ، وإنفاقه فى وجوهه المشروعة . . واتقاء خطر الفتنة الثانية باتباع ما أوجبه الله على الآباء من حسن تربية الأولاد على الدين والفضائل ، وتجنبهم أسباب المعاصى والراذئل .وقوله ( وَأَنَّ الله عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ) تذييل قصد به ترغيب المؤمنين فى طاعة الله ، بعد أن حذرهم من فتنة المال والولد .أى : واعلموا أن الله عند أجر عظيم لمن آثر طاعته ورضاه على جمع المال وحب الأولاد ، فكونوا - أيها المؤمنون - من حزب المؤثرين لحب الله على حب الأموال والأولاد لتنالوا السعادة فى الدنيا والآخرة .

القول في تأويل قوله : وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ (28)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره للمؤمنين: واعلموا، أيها المؤمنون، أنما أموالكم التي خوَّلكموها الله، وأولادكم التي وهبها الله لكم، اختبارٌ وبلاء، أعطاكموها ليختبركم بها ويبتليكم، لينظر كيف أنتم عاملون من أداء حق الله عليكم فيها، والانتهاء إلى أمره ونهيه فيها. (24) = " وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم "، يقول: واعلموا أن الله عنده خيرٌ وثواب عظيم، على طاعتكم إياه فيما أمركم ونهاكم، في أمولكم وأولادكم التي اختبركم بها في الدنيا . وأطيعوا الله فيما كلفكم فيها، تنالوا به الجزيل من ثوابه في معادكم. (25)15934 - حدثني الحارث قال، حدثنا عبد العزيز قال، حدثنا المسعودي, عن القاسم, عن عبد الرحمن, عن ابن مسعود, في قوله: " إنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة "، قال: ما منكم من أحد إلا وهو مشتمل على فتنة, فمن استعاذ منكم فليستعذ بالله من مُضِلات الفتن. (26)15935 - حدثني يونس قال، أخبرنا ابن وهب قال، قال ابن زيد, في قوله: " واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة "، قال: " فتنة "، الاختبار, اختبارُهم. وقرأ: وَنَبْلُوكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ [سورة الأنبياء: 35] .--------------------الهوامش :(24) انظر تفسير " الفتنة " فيما سلف ص : 486 ، تعليق : 1 ، والمراجع هناك .(25) انظر تفسير " الأجر " فيما سلف من فهارس اللغة ( أجر ) .(26) الأثر : 15934 - انظر الأثر السالف رقم : 15912 ، والتعليق عليه .

( واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة ) قيل : هذا أيضا في أبي لبابة ، وذلك أن أمواله وأولاده كانوا في بني قريظة ، فقال ما قال خوفا عليهم .وقيل : هذا في جميع الناس . أخبرنا أحمد بن عبد الله الصالحي - إملاء - وأخبرنا أبو بكر محمد بن محمد بن الحسن الطوسي ، قالا حدثنا أبو إسحاق إبراهيم بن محمد الإسفراييني أنا محمد بن محمد بن رزمويه حدثنا يحيى بن محمد بن غالب ، حدثنا يحيى بن يحيى ، حدثنا عبد الله بن لهيعة عن أبي الأسود عن عروة عن عائشة أن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - أتي بصبي فقبله وقال : " أما إنهم مبخلة مجبنة وإنهم لمن ريحان الله - عز وجل - " .( وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم ) لمن نصح الله ورسوله وأدى أمانته .

وابتداء جملة : { واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة } بفعل { اعلموا } للاهتمام كما تقدم آنفاً عند قوله : { واعلموا أن الله يحول بين المرء وقلبه } [ الأنفال : 24 ] وقوله { واعلموا أن الله شديد العقاب } [ الأنفال : 25 ] وهذا تنبيه على الحذر من الخيانة التي يحمل عليها المرءَ حبُ المال وهي خيانة الغلول وغيرها ، فتقديم الأموال لأنها مظنة الحمل على الخيانة في هذا المقام .وعطف الأولاد على الأموال لاستيفاء أقوى دواعي الخيانة ، فإن غرض جمهور الناس في جمع الأموال أن يتركوها لابنائهم من بعدهم ، وقد كثر قرن الأموال والأولاد في التحذير ، ونجده في القرآن ، قيل إن هاته الآية من جملة ما نزل في أبي لبابة .وجيء في الإخبار عن كون الأموال والأولاد فتنة بطريق القصر قصراً ادعائياً لقصد المبالغة في إثبات أنهم فتنة .وجُعل نفس «الأموال والأولاد» فتنة لكثرة حدوث فتنة المرء من جراء أحوالهما ، مبالغة في التحذير من تلك الأحوال وما ينشأ عنها ، فكأن وجود الأموال والأولاد نفس الفتنة .وعطف قوله : { وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم } على قوله : { أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة } للإشارة إلى أن ما عند الله من الأجر على كف النفس عن المنهيات هو خير من المنافع الحاصلة عن اقتحام المناهي لأجل الأموال والأولاد .

ولما كان العبد ممتحنا بأمواله وأولاده، فربما حمله محبة ذلك على تقديم هوى نفسه على أداء أمانته، أخبر اللّه تعالى أن الأموال والأولاد فتنة يبتلي اللّه بهما عباده، وأنها عارية ستؤدى لمن أعطاها، وترد لمن استودعها ‏{‏وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ‏}‏ فإن كان لكم عقل ورَأْيٌ، فآثروا فضله العظيم على لذة صغيرة فانية مضمحلة، فالعاقل يوازن بين الأشياء، ويؤثر أولاها بالإيثار، وأحقها بالتقديم‏.‏

قوله تعالى واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم قوله تعالى واعلموا أنما أموالكم وأولادكم فتنة كان لأبي لبابة أموال وأولاد في بني قريظة ، وهو الذي حمله على ملاينتهم ; فهذا إشارة إلى ذلك . فتنة أي اختبار ; امتحنهم بها .وأن الله عنده أجر عظيم فآثروا حقه على حقكم .

In Makkah, Muslims were in a state of helplessness. They were always in fear of being uprooted at any time. They were like a weakling who is oppressed in every way and denied even his legitimate rights. At last the way to Madinah opened for them. They were given the opportunity to go to Madinah, form a centre of their own there and live in freedom and with respect in that atmosphere. This providing of easy circumstances after difficulties is meant to infuse feelings of gratefulness in man. When a man’s living conditions reach the point where he feels himself helpless, at that time suddenly God’s help appears and everything changes for the better. It happens in this way so that man should firmly believe that whatever happened was at the behest of God, and on the basis of this realisation, he should be overflowing with gratitude for the Grace of God. Man embraces faith in God and His Prophet. In this way, he vows that he will tread the path of God and His Prophet. But, while adopting the way of Faith, the compulsions of his property and children come in the way. Then, he shuns the requirements of Faith and gives all his attention to property and children. This is an open betrayal of his pledge of Faith. The gravity of this betrayal becomes painfully obvious when it is realised that the things for which man betrays God are in themselves gifts from God. What are a man’s property and his children? Are they not gifts from God? They are a trust given by God to his subject. The best use of this trust is that when its Donor wants it, it should be willingly surrendered to Him. But when God exhorts the people to rise and strive with all their might in the cause of His religion, they make an excuse of that very trust of God which they should have sacrificed for God’s religion and thus fulfilled their pledge of Faith to Him. In this way, after being on the verge of success, they add their names to the list of failures. An action becomes a crime in the eyes of God only when it is perpetrated in the full knowledge that it is wrong. If a deed is clearly wrong, yet the doer of that deed refuses to desist, he shall have to face serious consequences. This is because willfully repeating a wrong action amounts to flouting God’s will. God can never forgive such extreme behaviour.

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿28﴾(And be aware that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that with Allah there is a great reward). The word: فِتنَہ (fitnah) used here carries the sense of 'trial' as well as that of 'punishment.' Then, such things as become the cause of punishment are also referred to as fitnah.' In different verses of the Qur'an, 'fitnah' has been used to carry these three meanings. At this place, there is room for all three. There are occasions when one's own property and children become a can of troubles for him and that they would push him into negligence and disobedience and become the very cause of punishment right here in this world is all too obvious. Firstly, the sense could be that Allah aims to put you to test through your property and children for these are His blessings. Now, you prove whether you become grateful and obedient after having received these, or that you choose to be ungrateful and disobedient. Also possible is the second, even the third meaning, that is, should you become all engrossed in your love for your property and children and bring upon yourself the displeasure of Allah, then, these very children and property will become your punishment. There are occasions within this mortal world when one is engulfed into all sorts of hardships because of property and children and he starts experiencing the heat of punishment right here. Even if the case be otherwise, it stands settled that the property which was acquired or spent by ways counter to the injunctions of Allah Ta` ala will itself become, in the Hereafter, the active agent of punishment through snakes, scorpions and brandings by fire - as stated clearly in several verses of the Qur'an and numerous narrations of the Hadith. Finally, the third meaning is that these things become the cause of punishment. As pointed out a little earlier, it is quite evident that once these things become the cause of heedlessness towards and disobedience to Allah Ta` ala and His injunctions, they automatically become the cause of punishment. At the end of the verse (28), it was said: وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ (and that with Allah there is a great reward). In other words, one should understand clearly that for a person who is not all-subdued by his love for property and children while doing his duty of being obedient to the commands of Allah and His Rasul, there is a great reward for him with Allah. As for the thematic content of this verse, it applies to all Muslims, but the cause of its revelation, according to the majority of commentators, is the event relating to Sayyidna Abu Lubabah ؓ as it came to pass during the battle of Banu Qurayzah. As reported, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ kept the fort of Banu Qurayzah under siege for twenty one days which compelled them to make the request that they be allowed to leave their homeland and go to Syria. In view of their wickedness, he did not accede to their 'request. Instead, he said that the only option of peace open to them was that they should now agree to whatever decision Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu` adh رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ gave in their case. Thereupon, they requested that Sayyidna Abu Lubabah ؓ be entrusted with this duty in place of Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu` adh ؓ . The reason was that the family and property of Sayyidna Abu Lubabah رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ were located in the Banu Qurayzah area. He, they thought, would take a lenient attitude in their case. The Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Abu Lubabah ؓ as they requested. When he reached there, men and women from Banu Qurayzah assembled around him and started crying. They asked: If we were to surrender at the command of the Holy Prophet and come out of the fort, would he be lenient to us? Sayyidna Abu Lubabah ؓ knew that leniency was not the settled policy in this matter. However, it was partly because of their wailing and plaint and partly because of his own love and concern for his family and children that he passed his hand sword-like over his neck giving the signal that they shall be slaughtered. Thus, as one would say, he disclosed the secret of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The consideration of property and the love of children and family made him do what he did. But, he was immediately alerted to what had happened. He realized that he had committed a breach of trust reposed in him by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . When he returned from there, he was so overwhelmed by his sense of shame that he, rather than return to his master, went straight to his Masjid and it was a pillar of the Masjid that he tied himself to swearing that he will stay tied like that until his taubah (repentance) was accepted, even if he were to die in that condition. So, for seven full days he stood there tied like that. His wife and daughter used to attend to him. They would untie him so that he could take care of his human compulsions and make his Salah. When he had done that, they would tie him again. He would usually avoid eating and drinking, so much so that he would faint out of weakness. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ got this news initially, he said: If he had come to me first, I would have sought forgiveness for him and his taubah would have been accepted. Now that he has gone through this act of his, there is nothing left but to wait for the revela-tion of the Divine acceptance of his taubah. So, it was after seven days when, late at night, these verses relating to the acceptance of his taubah were revealed. Some Sahabah gave him the good news and reached out to untie him from the pillar. But, he said: Until such time that the Holy Prophet ﷺ would not decide to untie me, I would not prefer to be untied. Thus, when he came into the Masjid at the time of the Fajr Salah, he untied him with his own blessed hands. The real cause of the revelation of the cited verse which contains the prohibition of becoming overwhelmed by the concern and love for property and children and not fulfilling the trust of Allah is as stated above. Allah knows best.

(And know) this address is directed at Abu Lubabah (that your possessions and your children) in the Banu Qurayzah (are a test) an affliction, (and that with Allah is immense reward) an abundant reward in Paradise through jihad.