Quranic Gems: Surah Al-Maida

When the sources of knowledge converge to universal truth

One of the glorious features of the religion of Allah is the verification of realities from multiple sources. By sources we mean the Holy Quran, and the authentic traditions, supplications, and visitations associated with the holy infallibles. We may list these four sources as follows: 

Quran: Allah communicating with man

Hadith: Infallible communicating with man

Du'a: Infallible communicating with Allah

Ziyarat: Man communicating with infallible

The focus of this discussion will be verses 54-55 of Chapter 5 of the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Ma'idah - Primarily, verse 54. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّـهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّـهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

"O you who have faith! Should any of you desert his religion, Allah will soon bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, [who will be] humble towards the faithful, stern towards the faithless, waging jihad in the way of Allah, not fearing the blame of any blamer. That is Allah’s grace, which He grants to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-knowing." [5:54]

The verse starts by addressing those who have believed in Allah. The address is akin to a warning from Allah to the believers who are being warned not to become "murtadd", i.e. revert to the ways of infidelity. Allah then expresses his might by elaborating on his glorious plan that would crush the feeble hopes of those who would desert His religion. 

Allah says that he will bring a people, and then elaborates on the luminous attributes of the people. We will examine these characters briefly and draw some parallels from other sources of knowledge. 

1) يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ - Whom He (Allah) loves and who love Him (Allah)

Love (Hub) takes a central role in Islam, and appears repeatedly in the narrations from the holy infallibles. However, the style in which Hub is mentioned in this verse reminds us of a very specific narration:

روى الشيخ المفيد، عن سعد بن أبي وقاص: بعث رسول الله محمد برايته إلى خيبر مع أبي بكر فردها، فبعث بها مع عمر فردها، فغضب رسول الله وقال: «لأعطين الراية غداً رجلاً يحبه الله ورسوله ويحب الله ورسوله ، كراراً غير فرار، لا يرجع حتى يفتح الله على يديه» قال: فلما أصبحنا جثونا على الركب فلم نره يدعو أحداً منا، ثم نادى «أين علي بن أبي طالب؟» فجيء به وهو أرمد، فتفل النبي في عينه وأعطاه الراية، ففتح الله على يديه          

Sheikh Al-Mufid narrates from Saad Bin Abi Waqas: The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad sent Abu Bakr towards Khaybar with his banner, but he brought it back. Then he sent Umar with it and he (also) brought it back. So he became angry and said: "Tomorrow, I will definitely give the banner to a man who Allah and his messenger love, and who loves Allah and his messenger; the one who attacks repeatedly, without fleeing. He will not return until Allah grants victory on his hand." He said: So we knelt down on our knees (eager for battle). But we did not see him call anyone among us. Then he called out: "Where is Ali ibn Abi Talib?" So he came, sore-eyed. The prophet applied saliva in his eyes and gave him the banner. And Allah granted victory on his hands. [1]

The love between the people / Imam Ali and Allah is described as being a mutual love in both the verse and the narration. This expression of a mutual, two way love is a unique description which is not found commonly in the Quran or other sources.

If we compare the verse and the narration we will find other parallels. Both are describing traits that manifest glorious bravery and staunch, unfaltering strength and steadfastness in the way of Allah.


Perhaps the iconic statement of the prophet (saw) كراراً غير فرار (attacking repeatedly, without fleeing) is an explanation of Allah's words, أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ (stern towards the faithless, striving in Allah's path). 


2)  لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ - The blame of any blamer

This verse is the only place in the Holy Quran where the words لَوْمَةَ and لَائِمٍ have been mentioned. When one recites this verse, and as these words roll off from the tongue, one can't help but take their mind and heart to another place where the exact statement has been mentioned. Allah's usage of this phrase has been mirrored by Imam Al-Mehdi (a.s), the master of the age in his majestic and heart wrenching supplication of Al-Nudba: 

 وَ يُقَاتِلُ عَلَى التَّاْوِيْلِ وَ لاَ تَاخُذُهٗ فِى اللهِ لَوْمَتُ لآَئِمٍ قَدْ وَتَرَ فِيْهِ صَنَادِيْدَ الْعَرَبِ وَ قَتَلَ اَبْطَالَهُمْ وَ نَاوَشَ ذُؤْبَانَهُمْ فَاَوْدَعَ قُلُوْبَهُمْ اَحْقَادًا بَدْرِيَّةً وَّ خَيْبَرِيَّةً وَّ حُنَيْنِيَّةً وَ غَيْرَ هُنَّ

                                       
"And He (Imam Ali) fought for the sake of interpretation (of the Quran), and The blame of any blamer would not prevent him from doing anything for the sake of Allah. He thus exterminated the villains of the Arabs, killed their heroes, and eradicated their ferocious fighters. He therefore filled their hearts with malice from the battles of Badr, Khaybar, Hunayn as well as others."

This heroic description of Imam Ali (a.s) resonates beautifully with the thunderous tone of the narration of the prophet, as well as the glorious words of the Quran.

When one recites verse 54, it is as if it has one name written all over it - Ali ibn Talib (a.s).  The verse's strong reference to Imam Ali may be felt independently; without considering the Hadith and the Du'a. However, the beautiful inter-connection between the three sources of knowledge delivers a unique sense of awe - As if one is witnessing a manifest mystery. 

But this is not all. If what one has considered so far is noor (Light) then the next verse (55) is noorun 'ala noor  (Light upon light). 

The verse that immediately follows the verse discussed above is as follows:

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ

"Your guardian is only Allah, His Apostle, and the faithful who maintain the prayer and give the zakah while bowing down." [5:55]

Indeed, the Holy Quran is a Qaseedah of Ameer-ul-Momineen. This verse is inscribed in the hearts of the believers as a proof for the Wilayah (authority) of Allah, his prophet and Imam Ali (Those who give zakah while bowing down is in honor of Imam Ali, referring to how he once gave charity in Masjid-Al-Nabawi).

We began our discussion with the word of Allah (verse 54), followed by the narration of his prophet and then the words of the Imam of the age - This same sequence is mentioned in verse 55 (Allah, Rasul, Imam). 

Perhaps verse 55 and Verse 54 are Tafaseer (exegesis) of each other.  

References:

[1] المفيد، الأمالي ص 56