SURAH AN-NISA (AYAH 111 to 120)

وَمَنْ يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا {4:111}

[Q4:111] Wa mai yaksib isman fa innamaa yaksibuhoo 'alaa nafsih; wa kaanal laahu 'Aleeman hakeemaa.
[Q4:111] And whoever commits a sin, he only commits it against his own soul; and ALLAH (SWT) is Knowing, Wise.

[Q4:111] Dan sesiapa yang mengerjakan sesuatu dosa maka sesungguhnya dia hanya mengerjakannya untuk (menjadi bala bencana yang) menimpa dirinya sendiri dan (ingatlah) ALLAH (SwT) Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana.  

EVERYONE, *MAN OR *WOMAN, IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OR HER SINS AND NONE ELSE SHALL BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE OTHERS.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:111) He who commits a sin, commits it only to his detriment. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

وَمَنْ يَكْسِبْ خَطِيئَةً أَوْ إِثْمًا ثُمَّ يَرْمِ بِهِ بَرِيئًا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلَ بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا {4:112}

[Q4:112] Wa mai yaksib khateee'atan aw isman summa yarmi bihee bareee'an faqadih tamala buhtaananw wa ismam mubeenaa.
[Q4:112] And whoever commits a fault or a sin, then accuses of it one innocent, he indeed takes upon himself the burden of a calumny and a manifest sin.

[Q4:112] Dan sesiapa yang melakukan suatu kesalahan atau suatu dosa, kemudian dia menuduhnya kepada orang yang tidak bersalah, maka sesungguhnya dia telah memikul kesalahan berbuat dusta dan melakukan dosa yang amat nyata. 

FALSE ACCUSATION AGAINST ANY INNOCENT PERSON IS CALUMNY AND IS A DECLARED PUNISHABLE SIN. THIS IS THE UNIQUE AND AN EXCLUSIVE CHARACTERISTIC OF ISLAM. No other religion lays so much stress upon an unbiased and strict administration ofjustice.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:112) But he who commits either a fault or a sin, and then casts it upon an innocent person, lays upon himself the burden of a false charge and a flagrant sin.

SECTION 17

Secret counsels of the Hypocrites

Endeavours of the Hypocrites to destroy the Muslims---Secret plots of the plots of the Hypocrites---Plots against the Apostles doomed to failure.

وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَهَمَّتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۚ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُ ۚ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا {4:113}

[Q4:113] Wa law laa fadlul laahi 'alaika wa rahmatuhoo lahammat taaa'ifatum minhum ai yudillooka wa maa yudilloona illaaa anfusahum wa maa yadurroonaka min shai'; wa anzalal laahu 'alaikal Kitaaba wal Hikmata wa 'allamaka maa lam takun ta'lam; wa kaana fadlul laahi 'alaika 'azeemaa.

[Q4:113] And were it not for ALLAH (SWT)'s grace upon you and His mercy a party of them had certainly designed to bring you to perdition and they do not bring (aught) to perdition but their own souls, and they shall not harm you in any way, and ALLAH (SWT) has revealed to you the Book and the wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know, and ALLAH (SWT)'s grace on you is very great.
[Q4:113] Dan kalaulah tidak kerana limpah kurnia ALLAH (SwT) dan rahmatNya kepadamu (wahai Muhammad), nescaya berhasillah cita-cita segolongan dari mereka yang bertujuan hendak menyesatkanmu, padahal mereka tidak akan menyesatkan melainkan dirinya sendiri dan juga mereka tidak akan dapat mendatangkan mudarat kepadamu sedikitpun; dan (selain itu) ALLAH (SwT) telah menurunkan kepadamu Kitab (Al-Quran) serta Hikmah (pengetahuan yang mendalam) dan telah mengajarkanmu apa yang engkau tidak mengetahuinya dan adalah kurnia ALLAH (SwT) yang dilimpahkanNya kepada mu amatlah besar. 

The reference about a group trying to mislead the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) is to Asid-bin-Urwah’s pleading on behalf of the culprits Vide note on verses 105 & 108.

IT CLEARLY ASSERTS THAT THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) HAD BEEN SAVED BY THE GRACE AND THE MERCY OF ALLAH (SWT) FROM GETTING ASTRAY THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, BY THE ATTEMPT OF ANY UNGODLY POWER, otherwise it affects the greatness of ALLAH (SWT)’s grace mentioned here. This is in complete accordance with the verses 53:2 and 93:7.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:113) (O Messenger!) But for Allah's favour and mercy upon you, a party of them had resolved to mislead you yet they only misled them selves, and could not have harmed you in any way. *142 Allah revealed to you the Book and Wisdom, and He taught you what you knew not. Great indeed has been Allah's favour upon you.

*142. Even if some people succeeded in their design to obtain from the Prophet (peace be on him) a wrong judgement in their favour by presenting a false account of events, the real loss would have been theirs rather than the Prophet's (peace be on him). For the real criminals in the sight of God are the perpetrators of that fraud and not the Prophet (peace be on him) who might in good faith have delivered a verdict that actually did not conform to the facts. Whoever obtains a judgement in his favour by tricking the courts deludes himself into believing that by such tricks he can bring right to his side; right remains with its true claimant regardless of judgements obtained by fraud and deception. (See also Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Surah 2, n. 197.) 

لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ۚ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا {4:114}

[Q4:114] laa khaira fee kaseerim min najwaahum illaa man amara bisadaqatin aw ma'roofin aw islaahim bainan naas; wa mai yaf'al zaalikab tighaaa'a mardaatil laahi fa sawfa nu'teehi ajran 'azeemaa.
[Q4:114] There is no good in most of their secret counsels except (in his) who enjoins charity or goodness or reconciliation between people; and whoever does this seeking ALLAH (SWT)'s pleasure, We will give him a mighty reward.

[Q4:114] Tidak ada kebaikan pada kebanyakan bisik-bisikan mereka, kecuali (bisik-bisikan) orang yang menyuruh bersedekah atau berbuat kebaikan atau mendamaikan di antara manusia dan sesiapa yang berbuat demikian dengan maksud mencari keredaan ALLAH (SwT), tentulah Kami akan memberi kepadanya pahala yang amat besar. 

The reference here is also to the event mentioned in the note on verses 105. The HOLY PROPEHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was in fact, conversant with the conduct and the character of the people he was surrounded with.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:114) Most of their secret conferrings are devoid of good, unless one secretly enjoins in charity, good deeds, and setting the affairs of men right. We shall grant who ever does that seeking to please Allah a great reward.

وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا{4:115}

[Q4:115] Wa mai yushaaqiqir Rasoola mim ba'di maa tabaiyana lahul hudaa wa tattabi' ghaira sabeelil mu'mineena nuwallihee ma tawallaa wa nuslihee Jahannama wa saaa'at maseeraa.

[Q4:115] And whoever acts hostilely to the Messenger after that guidance has become manifest to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he has (himself) turned and make him enter hell; and it is an evil resort.
[Q4:115] Dan sesiapa yang menentang (ajaran) Rasulullah sesudah terang nyata kepadanya kebenaran petunjuk (yang dibawanya) dan dia pula mengikut jalan yang lain dari jalan orang-orang yang beriman, Kami akan memberikannya kuasa untuk melakukan (kesesatan) yang dipilihnya dan (pada hari akhirat kelak) Kami akan memasukkannya ke dalam Neraka Jahannam dan Neraka Jahannam itu adalah seburuk-buruk tempat kembali.

THIS VERSE CLEARLY SAYS THAT A TRUE BELIEVER NEITHER CAN OPPOSE THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) (HIS JUDGEMENTS, DECISIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS) NOR *DIFFER, *DEVIATE OR *DEPART FROM HIS TEACHINGS AND COMMANDS. He has to obey and follow him in every walk of life, like those believers who are closely attached with him and whose way of life has become just like his way of life. Refer to the commentary of verse 65 of this surah.

v  If ijma means the conduct of the majority of Muslims which may have no connection with the teachings and commands of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), THEN its introduction and application shall take them to hell.

v  Please refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:2 to 5; 97 and 98 to know how the companions of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) displeased him by disobeying his commands.

ACTING HOSTILELY AGAINST THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) DOES NOT RESTRICT THE CONDUCT TO THE LIFE-TIME OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). The hostility against the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) means acting in any manner which displeases him.

Ë  The question arises whether the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) would have been pleased at the brutal conduct of the tyrants who *teased, *tortured AND *massacred the members of his holy family. Can at any stretch of imagination anyone sensibly say that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was not hurt by the treatment meted out to his beloved daughter, and the Holy Imams, his grandsons who are known as his own issues? Does not everyone who displeases the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in any way, come under this ordinance? Can any such person at anytime reasonably be respected in the least or even be acknowledged to be a Muslim in the true meaning of the term?  The Shia School is criticised for not respecting such sinful character and hating them.

Some take this verse in support of the validity of ‘Ijma’ in the sense to mean ‘that none has the right to disassociate himself from any way adopted by the Muslims.’ This is a sheer misinterpretation of the passage.

THE VERSE CLEARLY SAYS that it is **not for any Muslim to oppose what the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) *decides OR *to differ from him, AND IT NEVER MEANS that any way adopted by the Muslims in general is right. This indicates the way a Muslim should adopt in regard to the decision of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND it does not refer to the way, a Muslim adopts. This is in accord with Verse 65 of this surah.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:115) As for him who sets himself against the Messenger and follows a path other than that of the believers even after true guidance had become clear to him, We will let him go to the way he has turned to, *143 and We will cast him into Hell - an evil destination.

*143. When, after revelation from God, the Prophet (peace be on him) delivered his verdict in favour of the innocent Jew rather than the dishonest Muslim, the latter was so seized by un-Islamic, egotistic and chauvinistic considerations that he left Madina, went straight to Makka to join the ranks of the enemies of Islam and of the Prophet (peace be on him), and undertook open opposition. The verse alludes to that incident. 

SECTION 18

Idolatry Prohibited

       Polytheism unpardonable---Satan always misleads---Faith and Virtue shall be rewarded.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا {4:116}

[Q4:116] Innal laaha laa yaghfiru ai yushraka bihee wayaghfiru maa doona zaalika limai yashaaa'; wa mai yushrik billaahi faqad dalla dalaalam ba'eedaa.
[Q4:116] Surely ALLAH (SWT) does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases; and whoever associates anything with ALLAH (SWT), he indeed strays off into a remote error.

[Q4:116] Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) tidak akan mengampunkan dosa orang yang mempersekutukanNya dengan sesuatu (apa jua) dan akan mengampunkan yang lain daripada kesalahan (syirik) itu bagi sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut peraturan hukum-hukumNya); dan sesiapa yang mempersekutukan ALLAH (SwT) dengan sesuatu (apa jua), maka sesungguhnya dia telah sesat dengan kesesatan yang amat jauh.

POLYTHEISM IS AN UNPARDONABLE SIN. Although it does not affect His glory in the least, BUT by destroying the **faculty of reason, it renders man incapable of any spiritual progress; THEREFORE, a polytheist can never attain heavenly bliss.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:116) Truly it is only associating others with Allah in His divinity that Allah does not forgive, *144 and forgives anything besides that to whomsoever He wills. Whoever associates others with Allah in His divinity has indeed strayed far away.

*144. In this and the following verses we are asked to consider coolly, the end result of obsession with rage and anger, and what kind of people one chooses to identify with in place of the righteous people from whom one foolishly dissociates oneself. 

إِنْ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَّا إِنَاثًا وَإِنْ يَدْعُونَ إِلَّا شَيْطَانًا مَرِيدًا {4:117}

[Q4:117] iny yad'oona min dooniheee illaaa inaasanw wa iny yad'oona illaa Shaitaanam mareedaa.

[Q4:117] They do not call besides Him on anything but idols, and they do not call on anything but a rebellious Shaitan.
[Q4:117] Apa yang mereka sembah yang lain dari ALLAH (SwT) itu, hanyalah berhala-berhala (makhluk-makhluk yang lemah) dan mereka (dengan yang demikian) tidak menyembah melainkan Syaitan yang derhaka;

Inatha (females) refers to the historical motive of idolatry. In primitive ages man could not understand any productive action except the sexual relationship. The pagans thought that their idols were the daughters of ALLAH (SWT). The cult of goddesses had been almost universal, partly through the association of maternity. The goddess was the fountain and source of human life. Inatha also signifies inanimate things as trees, stones and wood.

v  Through verse 100:49 of al-Dhariyat (We created pairs of everything) the Qur’an guides the idolworshippers to get rid of their stupid delusion.

The idolworshippers, in fact, submit to Shaytan who, devoid of good, invites his followers to lawlessness, anarchy and evil.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:117) Rather than call upon Him, they call upon goddesses, and call upon a rebellious Satan *145

*145. No one sets up Satan as his 'god' in the sense that he makes him the object of his ritual worship and declares him to be God in so many words. The way to make Satan one's god is to entrust one's reins to him and let oneself be drawn helplessly in whichever direction he wants; the relationship between the two is, then, that of worshipper and worshipped. This shows that either absolute, unreserved obedience to or blind following of anybody is tantamount to 'worshipping' him, so that whoever indulges in this kind of absolute obedience is guilty of worshipping a 'god' other than the One True God. 

لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ ۘ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا {4:118}

[Q4:118] La'anahul laah; wa qaala la attakhizanna min 'ibaadika naseebam mafroodaa;
[Q4:118] ALLAH (SWT) has cursed him; and he said: Most certainly I will take of Thy servants an appointed portion:

[Q4:118] Yang telah dilaknat oleh ALLAH (SwT) dan yang telah mengatakan: Demi sesungguhnya, aku akan mengambil dari kalangan hamba-hambaMu, bahagian yang tertentu (untuk menjadi pengikutku); 

The accursed Shaytan's share (determined in regard to time) implies his ability to lead man astray from the path of faith and truth. "To alter ALLAH (SWT)'s creation" means using created things for a purpose other than what they have been created to fulfil.

v  If khalq is interpreted as the system planned by ALLAH (SWT) to operate His creation and legislation, it should not be stretched out of proportion so as to jeopardise the omnipotence of the divine authority.

"To slit the ears of animals" refers to the slitting the ears of animals by invoking the names of their gods and God goddesses by the pagan Arabs, so that those animals could not be slaughtered or used for gainful purposes.

Whatever the *promises Shaytan makes, whatever the *desires he enkindles, and whatever the *hopes he rouses in men, are no more than delusions. THE ABODE OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM IS HELL FROM WHICH THEY WILL FIND NO ESCAPE.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:118) upon whom Allah has laid His curse. He said (to Allah): 'I will take to myself an appointed portion of Your servants *146

*146. This shows that Satan is determined to lay his claim to a portion of men's time, to their effort and labour, to their energies and capacities, to their material belongings, and to their offspring, and would somehow trick them into devoting a sizeable portion of all these in his cause. 

وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ آذَانَ الْأَنْعَامِ وَلَآمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَنْ يَتَّخِذِ الشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيًّا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُبِينًا {4:119}

[Q4:119] Wa la udillannahum wa la umanni yannnahum wa la aamurannahum fala yubat tikunna aazaanal lan'aami wa la aamurannahum fala yughai yirunna khalqal laah; wa mai yattakhizish Shaitaana waliyyam mmin doonil laahi faqad khasira khusraanam mubeena.

[Q4:119] And most certainly I will lead them astray and excite in them vain desires, and bid them so that they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter ALLAH (SWT)'s creation; and whoever takes the Shaitan for a guardian rather than ALLAH (SWT) he indeed shall suffer a manifest loss.
[Q4:119] Dan demi sesungguhnya, aku akan menyesatkan mereka (dari kebenaran) dan demi sesungguhnya aku akan memperdayakan mereka dengan angan-angan kosong dan demi sesungguhnya aku akan menyuruh mereka (mencacatkan binatang-binatang ternak), lalu mereka membelah telinga binatang-binatang itu dan aku akan menyuruh mereka mengubah ciptaan ALLAH (SwT) dan (ingatlah) sesiapa yang mengambil Syaitan menjadi pemimpin yang ditaati selain dari ALLAH (SwT), maka sesungguhnya rugilah dia dengan kerugian yang terang nyata. 

(see commentary for verse 118)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:119) and shall lead them astray, and shall engross them in vain desires, and I shall command them and they will cut off the ears of the cattle, *147 and I shall command them and they will disfigure Allah's creation.' *148 He who took Satan rather than Allah for his guardian has indeed suffered a man-ifest loss.

*147. The reference here is to a superstitious Arabian custom. It was customary among the Arabs that after a camel had given birth to five or ten young to slit her ears and let her go in the name of their deity; they considered it forbidden to put her to any work. Likewise, the male camel that had caused the birth of ten camels was consecrated to some deity. The slitting of ears symbolized this consecration.
*148. To alter God's creation in some respect does not mean changing its original form. If that was meant, human civilization would have to be considered Satanic in its entirety. For civilization consists essentially of man's putting to use the resources endowed by God. Hence the alteration of God's creation, which is characterized as Satanic, consists in using a thing not for the purpose for which it was created by God. In other words, all acts performed in violation either of one's true nature or of the intrinsic nature of other things are the result of the misleading promptings of Satan. These include, for instance, sodomy, birth control, monasticism, celibacy, sterilization of either men or women, turning males into eunuchs, diverting females from the functions entrusted to them by nature and driving them to perform the functions for which men were created. These and numerous similar measures are enacted by Satan's disciples in this world, which amounts on their part, to saying that the laws of the Creator were faulty and that they would like to 'reform' them.

يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ ۖ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا {4:120}

[Q4:120] Ya'iduhum wa yuman neehim wa maa ya'iduhumush Shaitaanu illaa ghurooraa.
[Q4:120] He gives them promises and excites vain desires in them; and the Shaitan does not promise them but to deceive.

[Q4:120] Syaitan sentiasa menjanjikan mereka (dengan janji-janji indah) serta memperdayakan mereka dengan angan-angan kosong dan apa yang dijanjikan oleh Syaitan itu tidak lain hanyalah tipu daya semata-mata.  

(see commentary for verse 118)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(4:120) Satan makes promises to them and fills them with vain hopes, *149 but whatever he promises them is merely delusion.

*149. Satanic operations are based on making attractive promises and raising high hopes. Whenever Satan wants to mislead men, whether individually or collectively, he tries to inspire them with Utopian expectations. In some he inspires expectations of ecstatic pleasure and outstanding success in their individual lives. He inspires others with prospects for achieving national glory. To still others he promises the well-being of mankind. He makes people feel confident that they can arrive at the ultimate truth without the aid of revealed knowledge. He deludes others into believing that God neither exists nor that there is any Life-after-Death. He comforts others with the belief that even if there is an After-life, they will be able to escape punishment through the intercession of certain persons. In short, Satan extends to different groups of people different promises and expectations with a view to seducing them.