The Explanation of Soorat Al-Bayyinah (Clear Evidence) - II

The text of the chapter [from verse 6 to the end]
6. Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and
the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally
therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
7. Indeed, they who have believedand done righteous deeds — those are
the best of creatures.
8. Their reward with Allaah will be gardens of perpetual residence
beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allaah
being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has
feared hisLord.
Explanation
Allaah, the Most High, informs us about the end of the unjust
rejecters of faith from among thePeople of the Book and the
polytheists who oppose the revealed Books of Allaah and the Prophets,
may Allaah exalt their mention, sent by Him, saying thatthey (the
rejecters) will be thrown into the Hell-fire on the Day of
Resurrection, to abide therein for all eternity. They will not be able
to evade it, nor will they be removed from it.
" Those are the worst of creatures. "
That is, the most despised of Allaah's creatures. Then He, Most High,
informs us concerning those who are pious, fear Allaah and are true
Believers, confirmingby their words and deeds that they are the best
of created beings. Abu Hurayrah and a number of Muslim scholars have
concluded from this verse that the true believer is superior to the
angels, who are part of thecreation .
" Their reward with Allaah " that is, on the Day of Resurrection .
" Gardens of Eden under which rivers flow; they will dwell therein
forever ." That is, without interruption, without ceasing .
" Allaah being pleased with them-" That is, Allaah's Pleasure is
better and more sublime than the lasting felicity, which they aregiven
.
" and they with Him. " That is, with the infinite Grace bestowed on
them by Him .
" That is for whoever has feared his Lord. "
That is, this reward can be achieved by him who fears Allaah and is
devout with a sincere devotion, who worships Him always as if he was
seeing Him, knowing that, though he does not see his Lord, his Lord
sees him. It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that he
said: "The Messenger of Allaah said:
"Shall I not inform you about the best of creation?" They (the
audience) said: "Certainly, O, Messenger of Allaah!" He said: "A man
who takes the reins of his horse (and rides it) in the Way of Allaah
(in Jihaad) and whenever he hears the call of one in distress, he
rides to his rescue. Shall I not inform you of the best of creation?"
They said: "Certainly,O, Messenger of Allaah!" He said: "A man who
(even when he) is busy with his sheep, is steadfast in prayer and pays
Zakaah (alms). Shall I not inform you about the worst of creation?"
They said:"Certainly, O, Messenger of Allaah!" He said: "The one who
asks in Allaah's Name, but does not give in His Name." [Imam Ahmad]
Maalik Ibn 'Amr Ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaari said: "When the Soorah (Quranic
chapter) " Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the
Scripture and the polytheists… " [Al-Bayyinah] was revealed, Archangel
Jibreel (Gabriel) said toProphet Muhammad : "O, Messenger of Allaah!
Verily, your Lord orders you to recite this Soorah to Ubayy (one of
the prominent reciters and scribes ofthe Noble Quran among the
Companions)." So, the Messenger of Allaah said to Ubayy : "Verily,
Jibreel has ordered me to make you recite this Soorah." Ubayy said:
"Then I was mentioned, O, Messenger of Allaah?" He said: "Yes." Then
Ubayy wept. [Imaams Ahmad, Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Imaams At-Tirmithi and An-Nasa'ee have reported something similar.
This Soorah was read to Ubayy Ibn Ka'b merely to strengthen him in his
faith, to convey the Message and as a reminder, not for Ubayy to learn
something which he did not know or to make him memorize it - and
Allaah knows best.

The Explanation of Soorat Al-Bayyinah (Clear Evidence) - I

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
1. Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the
polytheists were not to be parted [from disbelief] until therecame to
them clear evidence —
2. A Messenger from Allaah, reciting purified scriptures.
3. Within which are correct writings [i.e. rulings and laws].
4. Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until
after there had come to them clear evidence.
5. And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah, [being]
sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and toestablish prayer
and to give Zakaah (alms). And that is the correct religion.
As for the People of the Scripture they are the Jews and Christians,
while the polytheists are those who worship idols and fire from
amongst the Arabs and the non-Arabs. Mujaahid said: " were not to be
parted " means that they (the People of the Scripture) will not cease
until the Clear Evidence came to them. What the 'Clear Evidence' is,
is explained by the following verse (which means): " A Messenger from
Allaah, reciting purified scriptures ", That is, Muhammad, sallAllaahu
alayhi wa sallam, and that which he recites from the Noble Quran,
which was copied by the Heavenly Host (i.e., the angels), on purified
sheets, as in the Words of Allaah (which mean) :
"[It is recorded] in honored sheets, exalted and purified, [carried]
by the hands of messenger-angels, noble and dutiful. " [Quran
80:13-16]
" Within which are correct writings [i.e., rulings and laws] ."
Ibn Jareer said: "It means that amongst the purified scriptures are
Scriptures from theBooks of Allaah, of inestimable value, full of
justice, perfectly correct, without any error, because they are from
Allaah, theAlmighty, the All-Powerful."
Qataadah said: " A Messengerfrom Allaah, reciting purified scriptures
" means that the Quranis mentioned with the best description and that
Allaah extolsit in the most laudatory terms."
Ibn Zayd said, concerning theverse (which means): " Within which are
correct writings " : "It means correct and fair. I say: The Words of
Him, the Most High: " Nor did those who were given the Scripture
become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence " are
like His Words (which mean) : " And do not be like the ones who became
divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And
those will have a great punishment ." [Quran 3: 105] Thatis, the
communities (the People of the Books) before us, after Allaah, the
Exalted, revealed to them proofs and clear signs, became divided and
disputed amongst themselves as to what was required of them by Allaah,
the Most High, in their revealed books. They became involved in major
differences as is made clear by the Hadeeth (narration) in which the
Prophet, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Verily, theJews are
divided into seventy-onedifferent sects, and verily, the Christians
are divided into seventy-two sects, and verily, my community will be
divided into seventy-three different sects - all of whom will be in
the Hell-Fire except one." His Companions asked: "And who are they, O,
Messenger of Allaah?" He, sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, replied:
"Those who follow the path of me and my Companions ."
And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah, [being] sincere
to Him in religion, inclining to truth… " This is like Allaah's Words
(which mean) : "And We sent not before you any messenger except that
We revealed to him that, there is no deity except Me, so worship Me. "
[Quran 21: 25] For this reason, Allaah Says (which means): " inclining
to truth " that is, professing and practicing the True Religion
(Islamic Monotheism) without associatingany partners with Allaah, as
in HisWords (which mean) : "And We certainly sent into every nation a
messenger, [saying] 'Worship Allaah and avoid false deities.' " [Quran
16: 36]
" and to establish prayer " - whichis the most noble of all physical
activities .
"and to give Zakaah (alms) " - which is to be charitable towardsthe
poor and the needy .
" And that is the correct religion ."
That is the True, the Correct, and the Just Faith - to belong to the
most upright, religious community - a moderate community. Many
scholars, including Az-Zuhri and Ash-Shaafi'i have concluded from this
verse that true faith must include action (not just belief in the
heart), and for this reason, Allaah, the Exalted, Says (what means):
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah, [being] sincere
to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to
give Zakaah (alms). And that is the correct religion . " :

The Sacred months

Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "Indeed, the number of months with
Allaah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allaah (from) the
day He created the heavens and the earth; ofthese, four are sacred.
That is the correct religion (i.e. way), so do not wrong yourselves
during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they
fight against you collectively. And know that Allaah is with the
righteous (who fear Him)" [Quran 9: 36]
It is with the wisdom of Allaah that He favored some months over
others, like favoring the month of Ramadhaan over all other months,
because it is the month of mercy, the month of Quran, the month of
forgiveness and freeing of people from the Fire. Itis a month which
people glorified during the pre-Islamic period as well, and after
Islam it became even more glorified.
Moreover, the month of Muharram (which means forbidden in Arabic) was
called that because the Arabs used to forbid fighting during it. Safar
(which means zero in Arabic) was given this name because the Arabs
used to loot all the property of the enemy after defeating them in
battle (i.e. they left nothing behind). Rabee' Al-Awwal (which means
graze in Arabic) because they used to graze their cattle during this
month. Jumaadaa (which means solid in Arabic) was giventhis name
because water used to freeze during thismonth. Rajab (which means
remove in Arabic) was given this name because the Arabs used to remove
the heads of their spears and refrain from fighting. Sha'baan (which
is anything positioned between two things in Arabic) was given this
name because it comes between Ramadhaan and Rajab. Ramadhaan (which
means heat in Arabic) was given this name because of the hot
temperature and excessive heat of the sun during this month. Shawwaal
(which means raise in Arabic) was giventhis name because she camels
would raise their tails when they became pregnant. Thul-Qi'dah (which
means sitting in Arabic) was given this name because it was the month
during which theywould sit and stop fighting. Thul-Hijjah (which
refers to Hajj in Arabic) was given this name because it was the month
during which theyperformed Hajj.
In the abovementioned verse, Allaah informs us that since He created
the Heavens and earth, and created days and nights, and made the sun
and the moon, each float in an orbit, as a result of which the
darkness of nights and the light of days occur. It was from that time
that Allaah had set the months to be twelve, and He, Almighty,
informed us that He, Almighty, designated four of them to be sacred.
We must respect the sanctity of these sacred months, by adhering to
the commandments of Allaah, and rejecting that which the people of the
pre-Islamic period were upon, like delaying the restrictions of these
months or changing theirsequence. It is for this reason that the
Prophet said in his farewell pilgrimage: "O People! Time has gone back
to how it was at the time Allaah created the Heavens and the Earth. A
year has twelve months, four of which are sacred, three consecutive,
Thul-Qi'dah, Thul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab, which comes between
Jumaadaa and Sha'baan." [Al-Bukhaari]
The words (which mean) "…when He created the Heavens and earth…"
[Quran 9: 36] are to clarify that the decree of Allaah took place very
early on, and that He set the months, named them and sequenced them
when He created the Heavens and the earth, then He revealed this upon
His Prophets withinthe divined Books.
The verse is informing us that the ruling of these months will remain
(names, sequence and sacredness), and the changes made by the
disbelievers to the sequence would have no effect. Moreover, whatever
the disbelievers had changedcould not change what Allaah had decreed.
This verse also indicates that it is compulsory to base acts of
worship and Islamic rulings on these months, and not the onesthe
Christians use. Therefore, it is not fit for a Muslim to prefer using
these Roman or Christian months over these Arabic(named) months.
They are: Thul-Qi'dah, Thul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab which is
between Jumaadaa Al-Aakhirah and Sah'baan. It was also called Rajab of
Mudhar, because the tribe of Mudhar used to adhere to its sacredness,
while another tribe by the name of Rabee'ah Ibn Nizaar used to change
sacredness of Rajab to Ramadhaan. In order to lift this confusion the
Prophet said: "Rajab, which comes between Jumaadaa and Sah'baan".
Allaah Says in the same verse (which means): "…that is the right
religion" meaning, this Sharee'ah (Islamic law) and obedience therein,
isthe right and straight path. Then Allaah continues Saying that
(which means): "Do not wrong (oppress) yourselves therein" [Quran 9:
36] which is referring to all months ofthe year but the sacred months
hold a special position which makes oppressing oneself greater, just
as Allaah Says (what means): "no sexual relation (with spouse), no
sinning, nor unjust dispute" [Quran 9: 36] and this certainly does not
indicate that one can sin other than the time of Hajj but it is to
reflect the greatness ofsinning during its rituals.
Do not wrong (oppress) yourselves by fighting and committing sins,
because when Allaah honors something for one reason, it becomes that
much honored, but when He honors for two or more reasons, then
sacredness becomes more, and punishment for disobedience is multiplied
accordingly. For example, one who obeys Allaah during the sacred
months in the sacred area will receive more reward than obeying Allaah
during other months, and the one who obeys Allaah during months other
than the sacred months outside the sacred area will receive less
reward than he who obeys Allaahinside the sacred area. Allaah gave an
indicationto this in His Saying (which means): "O wives of the
Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality – for herthe
punishment will be doubled two fold, and ever is that for Allaah,
easy." [Quran 33:30]