Relent not in Pursuit of the Hostile People

Lesson # 548 From Holy Qur’an

Relent not in Pursuit of the Hostile People

Surah Nisaaa’ (Women) – Chapter – 4)

Verses –104 of 176, Section – 15/24 (Part – 5)

Relent not in pursuit of the hostile people. If ye are suffering, lo! They suffer even as ye suffer and ye hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope. And Allah is Ever-Knower, Wise.

Wa  laa  tahinuu  fib-tigaaa-‘il-qawm.  ‘In  takuunuu  ta’-la-muuna  fa-‘innahum  ya’-lamuu-na  kamaa  ta’-lamuun.  Wa  tar-juuna  minallaahi  maa  laa  yar-juun.  Wa  kaanallaahu  ‘Aliiman  Hakiimaa.

                                                        

     

Lesson

Laa  tahinuu – (Do not relent), it is from wahan, which means ‘to relent, to lose spirit or courage, to be inactive, to become loose’.

Ta’-la-muuna – (You suffer), this word is made from ‘alam, which means suffering, distress, ache. Origin of ta’-la-muuna and ya’-lamuu-na is the same. One’s tense is second person plural and the other is of third person plural.

Tar-juuna – (You hope), it has been derived from rajaaa’ which means ‘thought, hope, reliance’. Tar-juun is from the tense of second person plural, and yar-juun is third person plural.

In the beginning, the Muslims were not allowed to strive and fight. But they were ordered, “You are prevented from fighting with the Makkan people whether they tease you as much as they wish, and perform the worship and pay the poor-due”. But when tyranny of the infidels of Makkah overstepped bounds, even to this degree that the Muslims had to leave their families and homes, and they migrated to Madinah. The Messenger of Allaah Almighty (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) had also to take shelter there. Notwithstanding the people of Makkah did not leave them to molest. Then helpless Muslims were commanded to fight and strive. When the order regarding strive and fight was published once, then later on, the rules and the regulations about it were told and they were guided.

In this chapter Fighting has been mentioned with effect from very before. It has been guided in this verse, “While the quarrelsome people have already begun fighting and you have to fight, then these mischievous should be punished severely and fully, so that you may get freedom from their sedition and disturbance. It has surely been proved from their previous deeds that until they would not be punished entirely, neither they themselves would remain in peace, nor would they let to sit others comfortably. So you should fight against them with full force. No laziness and relent should be from your side. Which distress, trouble and ache you suffer due to war, they suffer also even as you suffer. Don’t care them; on the contrary, make up your minds to finish this quarrel forever.

In the distress, pain and restlessness, you and your enemy (both) are equal. Even then, there is a difference between you and them like the earth and the sky. Anyhow, you have such hopes from your Lord, which they do not have. If you won the war, you are hero, and if you are slain, then you are martyrs. In both conditions there is a strong promise of rest and comfort in the Hereafter for you, in which there is no any doubt. And remember it also that only some days’ advantages of the world are exiting them for war, which do not have any base, while you are fighting by the order of Allaah Almighty.

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English  by Muhammad Sharif).