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244. " and fight in the way of allah, and know that allah is
all-hearing, all-knowing."
245. " who is he that will lend to allah a goodly loan, so he will multiply
it for him manifold? and allah straitens and extends and unto him you
will be rerurned."
commentary:
from here on the verses of holy war come forth. it begins with
the command of fighting in the path of allah, and warns us to beware
that he hears what we say and knows what we have in our hearts, from
our motives and intentions, regarding the holy war in the way of
allah. it says:
" and fight in the way of allah, and know that allah is
all-hearing, all-knowing."
inspite of all that has been said that islam prefers peaceful
methods of preaching the truth, and that it never took any initiative in
waging war against its opponents, the fact is that islam recognizes the
right of taking even the initiative in using force against those who persist
in ungodly activities causing human degradation or social or moral
deterioration. but this measure can not be adopted save by the prophet
of allah or his vicegerent authorized by him and none else. as the
fifth holy imam muhammad ibne-ali al-baqir says ` a war may be
termed as holy or godly (jihad) ' if the object be to make people give up
submission to any one besides allah, and to submit only to god's
authority and the divine will. but if the object be to make them give
up submission to one creature in order to submit to any other, it is the
usual war waged for selfish and some worldly gain. hence it is unholy
and thus condemned by islam.
however, islam enjoins on muslims to be always ready, well
prepared and well equipped to meet all exigencies or an eventuality
which may unexpectedly develop against them, then they should gather
strength as much as they can so that their opponents, the opponents of
the divine cause may refrain from any unprovoked aggression.
* * * *
occasion of revelation
it is narrated that the holy prophet (p.b.u.h.) once said that
whoever gives any alms will receive it twice in heaven. abud-dahdah
ansari, addressing the messenger of allah (p.b.u.h.), said that: he had
two gardens and questioned if he donated one of them as alms, would
he have it twice in heaven? then the prophet replied him positively.
after that he donated his more priviledged garden to the prophet
(p.b.u.h.) before when the revelation was sent down making his alms two
thousand thousandfold for him. this is the interpretation of /'ad`afan
ka¶irah/ ` manifold '.
commentary:
this verse inquires who is it that offers to allah a goodly gift and
donates from the wealth he has given to him on the path of holy war
and alongside the way of helping the needy, so that allah would
multiply it to him manifold? it says:
" who is he that will lend to allah a goodly loan, so he will multiply
it for him manifold? ..."
thus, according to this verse, lending allah is also rendered into
the donations which are performed in the way of holy war.
so, at the end of the verse, it says that it is allah (s.w.t.) who
both withholds and amplifies the sustenance of the servants. this
statement points to the idea that: do not think that donation and giving
alms causes your wealth to be diminished. the increase and decrease of
your sustenance depend on allah.
"... and allah straitens and extends and unto him you
will be returned."
why is donation rendered to loan?
in several verses of the qur'an donating in the path of allah has
been rendered into giving a loan to allah. it shows the ultimate grace
of allah unto his servants, on one hand, and the utmost importance of
the subject of donation, on the other hand.
in nahjul-balaqah, imam amir-ul-mu'mineen ali (a.s.) says:
" allah asks you for a loan while the treasures of heavens and the earth
belong to him and he is self-sufficient, praiseworthy. (it is not because of
his want), but that he may try you for which of you is the best in action." 1
1
nahjul-balaqah, sermon 183, p. 268
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