Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 24

(Ayah24) ➊ {قُلْ اِنْ كَانَ اٰبَآؤُكُمْ وَ اَبْنَآؤُكُمْ …:} This verse and the previous one are not related to any specific group of Muslims or any particular incident, but are general and for all times. In them, all Muslims are taught that the love of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) should be greater than anything else in the world. All these things that Allah has enumerated are naturally beloved to every human being. He said: «زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوٰتِ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ وَ الْبَنِيْنَ وَ الْقَنَاطِيْرِ الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَ الْفِضَّةِ وَ الْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَ الْاَنْعَامِ وَ الْحَرْثِ ذٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ اللّٰهُ عِنْدَهٗ حُسْنُ الْمَاٰبِ » [ آل عمران : ۱۴ ] “The love of desires has been beautified for people—women, children, heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle, and tilled land. These are the enjoyments of the worldly life, but with Allah is the best abode.” Loving these things is not a sin, rather, loving them and fulfilling their rights is a person’s responsibility. The only demand from Allah is that the love of any of these things should not exceed the love of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and striving in His path. The measure for this is that if ever there comes a time when on one side is the command of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and the need to sacrifice everything for the sake of Islam, and on the other side is the love of parents and relatives, and other worldly relationships or interests and dangers become obstacles in this path, then it is the duty of a Muslim to disregard everyone and every interest and follow the command of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), and there should be no worldly benefit or danger that prevents him from obeying Allah’s command and striving in His path. Otherwise, Allah’s punishment can come at any time. This is the same subject that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has repeatedly clarified, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “By Him in Whose hand is my soul! None of you can be a believer until I am more beloved to him than his own soul.” [ بخاری، الإیمان، باب حب الرسول صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم من الإیمان : ۱۵، عن أنس رضی اللہ عنہ] Abdullah bin Hisham (may Allah be pleased with him) says that we were walking with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was holding his hand. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “You are more beloved to me than anything in the world except my own soul.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “No, by Him in Whose hand is my soul! Not until I am more beloved to you than your own soul.” Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Now you are more beloved to me than my own soul.” He said: “Now, O Umar! (Your faith is correct).” [ بخاری، الأیمان والنذور، باب کیف کانت یمین النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۶۶۳۲ ]

➋ { حَتّٰى يَاْتِيَ اللّٰهُ بِاَمْرِهٖ:} Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When you engage in ‘inah (a form of usury through legal trickery), hold onto the tails of cattle, become content with agriculture, and abandon jihad, Allah will impose such humiliation upon you that He will not remove it until you return to your religion.” [ أبوداوٗد، البیوع، باب فی النہی عن العینۃ : ۳۴۶۲، و صححہ الألبانی ] Zamakhshari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that this verse is very severe; you will not see any verse more severe than this. It points to a person’s religious weakness and lack of conviction. Let a very pious and God-fearing person think justly in his heart: does he really have such religious firmness that he can leave all the things mentioned in this verse for the sake of Allah’s pleasure if they go against it, or does he fall into confusion over a little displeasure from someone or a minor worldly benefit, wondering what to keep and what to leave? Then, most often, the demands of his wife, children, friends, society, and business interests prevail over the demands of Allah’s religion. (Except whom Allah wills)