Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 10

(Ayah 10) ➊ {وَ مَا لَكُمْ اَلَّا تُنْفِقُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ لِلّٰهِ مِيْرَاثُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} "Inheritance" in reality refers to that ownership which, upon the death of the previous owner, passes to his surviving heirs. This ownership is compulsory; whether the deceased wishes or not, it is transferred to the rightful heir. By bringing the predicate {’’ لِلّٰهِ ‘‘} before the subject in {’’ لِلّٰهِ مِيْرَاثُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}, exclusivity is established that the inheritance of the heavens and the earth belongs only to Allah, because in the end, all must perish and all those things which you are considered owners of are all to return to Him. So when this wealth is not going to remain with you, rather it is bound to leave your hands, and if you do not spend it, it will be forcibly taken from you, then what is the reason that you do not spend it willingly in the way of Allah, so that in this case the Owner will also be pleased and whatever you give will become a loan upon Allah, which He will keep safe for you with countless increase, as is coming in the next verse. The same is the case with a person's life as with his wealth. A Persian poet has beautifully said:
Give your life to the Beloved, otherwise death will take it from you.
O heart! You yourself be the judge, is this better or that better?
➋ {لَا يَسْتَوِيْ مِنْكُمْ مَّنْ اَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَ قٰتَلَ :} Here, some words are omitted which become clear from the following sentence {’’ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ اَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِيْنَ اَنْفَقُوْا مِنْۢ بَعْدُ وَ قٰتَلُوْا ‘‘}. As if the full statement is like this: {’’ لاَ يَسْتَوِيْ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ وَمَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ‘‘} meaning, "Those among you who spent and fought before the victory and those who spent and fought after the victory are not equal." By {’’ الْفَتْحِ ‘‘} is meant the conquest of Makkah, about which Allah Almighty said: « اِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ اللّٰهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ » [ النصر : ۱ ] "When the help of Allah and the victory comes." Or the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, about which Allah Almighty said: « اِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِيْنًا » [ الفتح : ۱ ] "Indeed, We have given you a clear victory." And both can be meant. In this way, there will be three ranks of the Companions: in the first rank, those who believed, spent, and fought before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah—the earliest forerunners among the Muhajirun and Ansar; in the second rank, those Companions who attained the honor of migration and support after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and before the conquest of Makkah; and in the third rank, those Companions who became Muslim after the conquest of Makkah, who could not attain the honor of migration or support, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ ] [ بخاري، الجہاد والسیر، باب فضل الجہاد والسیر : ۲۷۸۳ ] "After the conquest of Makkah, (now) there is no migration."
The proof that those who spent and fought before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah are higher in rank than those who believed after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and before the conquest of Makkah is the hadith narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: [ كَانَ بَيْنَ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيْدِ، وَ بَيْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمٰنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ كَلاَمٌ، فَقَالَ خَالِدٌ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمٰنِ تَسْتَطِيْلُوْنَ عَلَيْنَا بِأَيَّامٍ سَبَقْتُمُوْنَا بِهَا، فَبَلَغَنَا أَنَّ ذٰلِكَ ذُكِرَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ دَعُوْا لِيْ أَصْحَابِيْ ، فَوَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ ! لَوْ أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ، أَوْ مِثْلَ الْجِبَالِ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغْتُمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ] [مسند أحمد: 266/3، ح : ۱۳۸۱۲۔ مسند احمد کے محقق نے اسے صحیح کہا ہے ] "There was some matter between Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), so Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abdur Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him): 'You boast over us because of those few days in which you accepted Islam before us.' This was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so he said: 'Leave my companions for me, by Him in Whose hand is my soul! If you spend gold equal to Uhud or the mountains, you will not reach their deeds.'"
➌ The rank of those who spent and fought before the victory is greater because before the victory, the Muslims were few in number and weak in strength, and their financial condition was also very weak. In such circumstances, spending in the way of Allah and participating in jihad were both extremely difficult and courageous acts, whereas after the victory, this situation changed, the Muslims increased in strength and number, and their financial condition also became much better than before, and the entire Arabian Peninsula began entering Islam in multitudes. Therefore, it is said that those who became Muslim and spent and fought in jihad in the earlier difficult period and those who did so in the later period cannot be equal; rather, the former have a higher rank.
➍ Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) is superior and more virtuous than all individuals of the Ummah, because in believing, spending in the way of Allah, and fighting, he was ahead of all the Companions. That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) put him forward for prayer during his lifetime, and on this basis, the Muslims gave him precedence for the position of caliphate.
➎ { وَ كُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰهُ الْحُسْنٰى:} In this, it is clearly stated that although there is a difference in rank and virtue among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), it does not mean that those Companions who became Muslim later have no virtue; rather, Allah Almighty has promised all the Companions a good reward, that is, Paradise, and all the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are destined for Paradise. The reality is that the company and sight of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had such an effect that whoever saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in a state of faith and died upon faith, no later person can reach his rank. See the hadith mentioned in the commentary of the last verse of Surah al-Fath, in which the blessing and virtue of the person who saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned. Very unfortunate are those people who harbor enmity and hatred against those blessed personalities who had the honor of the company and companionship of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and who, turning a blind eye to their jihad and spending in the way of Allah, revile and curse them because of their minor slips. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ تَسُبُّوْا أَصْحَابِيْ، فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ أَنْفَقَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلاَ نَصِيْفَهُ ] [ بخاري، فضائل الصحابۃ، باب قول النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : « لو کنت متخذا خلیلا» : ۳۶۷۳ ] "Do not speak ill of my Companions, for by Him in Whose hand is my soul! If any one of you were to spend gold equal to Uhud, it would not amount to as much as a mudd (half a kilo of grain) of one of them, nor even half of it."
➏ {وَ اللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرٌ:} At the end of the encouragement for faith, spending, and fighting in the way of Allah, it is said that whatever you do, Allah Almighty is fully aware of it; He knows very well the level of each deed and how much sincerity is in it, and He will reward accordingly.

10-1. By "victory," according to most commentators, is meant the conquest of Makkah. Some have understood the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as the clear victory and have taken it to be the intended meaning. In any case, before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah or the conquest of Makkah, Muslims were fewer in number and strength, and their financial condition was also very weak. In such circumstances, spending in the way of Allah and participating in jihad were both extremely difficult and required great courage, whereas after the conquest of Makkah, this situation changed. Muslims continued to increase in strength and number, and their financial condition also became much better than before. In this, Allah Almighty has stated regarding the Muslims of both periods that they cannot be equal in reward. -2. Because the spending and jihad of the former ones both took place in extremely difficult circumstances. From this, it is understood that people of virtue and determination should be given precedence over others. That is why, according to Ahl al-Sunnah, in honor and virtue, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ is the most preeminent, because he is the first believer, the first to spend, and the first to strive. That is why the Messenger of Allah ﷺ put al-Siddiq al-Akbar ؓ forward for prayer during his own life and presence, and on this basis, the believers (the Companions) gave him precedence in the right to the caliphate. ؓ and رضوا عنہ. -3. In this, it has been clarified that although there is a difference in honor and virtue among the Companions, the difference in ranks does not mean that the Companions who became Muslim later were, in terms of faith and character, completely inferior, as some people, regarding Muawiyah, his father Abu Sufyan, and some other such great Companions, utter nonsense or call them "Tulaqa" and thereby belittle and insult them. The Prophet ﷺ has said regarding all the Companions ؓ: "لا تسبوا اصحابي" (Do not revile my Companions). By the One in whose hand is my soul, if any one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud in the way of Allah, it would not equal even a mudd, or even half a mudd, spent by my Companion.

10. And what is the matter with you that you do not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the inheritance [14] of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the victory (of Makkah) [15] and those who did so afterwards. They are greater in degree . But to all Allah has promised the best. And Allah is fully aware of what you do.

[14]
The Different Aspects of Allah’s Inheritance:

That is, the wealth which is presently with you will be transferred to your heirs after your death, and this process will continue in the same way until all of it returns to Allah’s inheritance. Its second meaning could also be that when you came into this world, you came empty-handed, and when you depart from here, you will also go empty-handed—so how did this become your property? You can only benefit from it temporarily. And its third aspect is that just as this wealth has come to you today, in your lifetime it can also leave you. This wealth and riches are like a fleeting shadow—sometimes here, sometimes there. Therefore, as long as this wealth is in your possession, why not obtain true benefits from it by spending it according to the will of the real Owner?

[15] Some commentators say that these two verses were revealed after the conquest of Makkah, and according to some, at the time of the Battle of Tabuk, and were placed here due to their relevance to the subject. And by “conquest,” some scholars have taken it to mean the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, because Allah also called it a clear victory. But according to the majority, it refers to the conquest of Makkah, because only after the conquest of Makkah did Islam clearly prevail over disbelief. All the Arab tribes had their eyes fixed for a long time on the battle of Makkah, wondering whether the Quraysh of Makkah would prevail or the Muslims. And whichever side prevailed, they were waiting to support it. In this decisive battle, when Islam gained dominance, the Arab tribes began entering Islam in droves. Now it is clear that the Muslims who made financial sacrifices before the conquest of Makkah could only have done so based on their unwavering faith in the promises of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, otherwise the circumstances were not at all encouraging for them—rather, at times, they were extremely discouraging. In comparison, those who made financial sacrifices after the conquest of Makkah found the circumstances encouraging and hopeful, because they were supporting a dominant group. Then, in the form of spoils, they expected to receive much more wealth in return for what they spent, and most of the time, their expectations were fulfilled. Therefore, the reward for both cannot be the same. However, those who spent after the conquest of Makkah will also be granted a good reward by Allah. And Allah is well aware of the intention with which anyone spends. Therefore, the more sincerity of intention and strength of faith with which a person spends, Allah increases his reward accordingly.