Surah 58. Al-Mujadilah

on the Day when God will raise them all from the dead and will make them truly understand all that they did [in life]: God will have taken [all of] it into account, even though they [themselves] may have forgotten it - for God is witness unto everything.

  - Mohammad Asad

On the Day of Judgement Allah will raise them all back to life, then inform them about what they have done. Allah has kept full record of their deeds even though they may have forgotten, for Allah is a witness over all things.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the day when Allah will raise them all together and inform them of what they did. Allah hath kept account of it while they forgot it. And Allah is Witness over all things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

ART THOU NOT aware that God knows all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth? Never can there be a secret confabulation between three persons without His being the fourth of them, nor between five without His being the sixth of them; and neither between less than that, or more, without His being with them wherever they may be. But in the end, on Resurrection Day, He will make them truly understand what they did: for, verily, God has full knowledge of evervthing.

  - Mohammad Asad

Are you not aware that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and in the earth? It cannot be that three persons converse in secret and He is not the fourth of them; or five persons converse in secret and He is not sixth of them; whether fewer or more, wherever they may be, He is with them. Then on the Day of Resurrection He will inform them of what they have done, surely Allah has knowledge of all things.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou not seen that Allah knoweth all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth? There is no secret conference of three but He is their fourth, nor of five but He is their sixth, nor of less than that or more but He is with them wheresoever they may be; and afterward, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did Lo! Allah is Knower of all things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Art thou not aware of such as have been forbidden [to intrigue through] secret confabulations,¹¹ and yet [always] revert to that which they have been forbidden, and conspire with one another with a view to sinful doings, and aggressive conduct, and disobedience to the Apostle?¹² Now whenever such [people] approach thee, [O Muhammad,]¹³ they salute thee with a greeting which God has never countenanced;¹⁴ and they say to themselves, "Why does not God chastise us for what we are saying?"¹⁵ Hell shall be their allotted portion: they shall [indeed] enter it - and how vile a journey's end!

  - Mohammad Asad

The prohibition referred to here arises from the Qur'anic statement, "No good comes, as a rule, out of secret confabulations - save those which are devoted to enjoining charity, or equitable dealings, or setting things to rights between people" (see 4:114 and the corresponding note [138]). Although there is no doubt that, as the classical commentators point out, the "secret confabulations" spoken of in this passage relate to intrigues aimed against the Prophet and his followers by some of their unbelieving contemporaries, there is no doubt, either, that the passage has a general import, and is, therefore, valid for all times.

I.e., in the wider sense, disobedience to the Apostle's ethical teachings.

The reference to "approaching" the Prophet has here a twofold meaning, relating literally to his unbelieving contemporaries, and figuratively to an intellectual "approach" to his person and his teachings by hostile critics of all later times. The same observation is valid with regard to the next clause as well.

Lit., "with which God has never saluted thee". Historically, this is an allusion to the hostile attitude of the Jews of Medina towards the Prophet. It is recorded that instead of pronouncing the traditional greeting "Peace be upon thee" when encountering him, some of them used to mumble the word salam ("peace") in such a way as to make it indistinguishable from sam ("death"); and they employed the same scurrilous play of words with regard to the Prophet's Companions as well. (The relevant ahadith are quoted in full, with indication of the sources, by Tabari and Ibn Kathir in their commentaries on the above verse.) But see also the preceding note.

Sc., "if Muhammad is truly a prophet".

Have you not seen those who, though forbidden to hold secret counsels, persistently do what was forbidden? They hold secret counsels among themselves for sin, hostility and disobedience to the Rasool. Yet when they come to you, they greet you in words which Allah does not greet you with, and say to themselves: "Why does Allah not punish us for what we say?" Hell is enough for them, they shall burn in its flames, what an evil destination!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou not observed those who were forbidden conspiracy and afterward returned to that which they had been forbidden, and (now) conspire together for crime and wrongdoing and disobedience toward the messenger? And when they come unto thee they greet thee with a greeting wherewith Allah greeteth thee not, and say within themselves: Why should Allah punish us for what we say? Hell will suffice them; they will feel the heat thereof. A hapless journey's end!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you do hold secret confabulations, do not conspire with one another with a view to sinful doings, and aggressive conduct, and disobedience to the Apostle,¹⁶ but [rather] hold counsel in the cause of virtue and God-consciousness: and [always] remain conscious of God, unto whom you all shall be gathered.

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [12].

O believers! When you confer together in private, do not talk about sin and hostility and disobedience to the Rasool; but to counsel about virtue and piety, and fear Allah, before whom you shall be brought together.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! when ye conspire together, conspire not together for crime and wrongdoing and disobedience toward the messenger, but conspire together for righteousness and pity, and keep your duty, toward Allah, unto whom ye will be gathered.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[All other kinds of] secret confabulations are but of Satan's doing, so that he might cause grief to those who have attained to faith; yet he cannot harm them in the least, unless it be by God's leave:¹⁷ in God, then, let the believers place their trust!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in and by itself, the force of evil epitomized in the concept of "Satan" has no power whatever: cf. 14:22 - "I had no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded unto me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves." (See also Razi's views quoted in my note [31] on the above-mentioned verse.) As regards the problem of God's "letting" or "allowing" a person to go astray (implied in the phrase "unless it be by God's leave"), see note [4] on 14:4 .

Conspiring in secret is the work of shaitan, who means to vex the believers; but he cannot harm them at all except as Allah permits; so in Allah let the believers put their trust.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! Conspiracy is only of the devil, that he may vex those who believe; but he can harm them not at all unless by Allah's leave. In Allah let believers put their trust.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O YOU who have attained to faith! When you are told, "Make room for one another in your collective life",¹⁸ do make room: [and in return,] God will make room for you [in His grace].¹⁹ And whenever you are told, "Rise up [for a good deed]", do rise up;²⁰ [and] God will exalt by [many] degrees those of you who have attained to faith and, [above all,] such as have been vouchsafed [true] knowledge:²¹ for God is fully aware of all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "in the assemblies (al-majalis)". Although it is frequently assumed that this refers to the assemblies held by the Prophet, when his followers would throng around him in their eagerness the better to hear what he had to say, or - more generally - to congregations in mosques, etc., in later times, I am (with Razi) of the opinion that the plural noun majalis is used here in a tropical or metaphorical sense, denoting the totality of men's social life. Taken in this sense, the "making room for one another" implies the mutual providing of opportunities for a decent life to all - and especially to the needy or handicapped - members of the community. See also next note.

Commenting on this passage, Razi says: "This verse indicates that if one widens the means (abwab) of happiness and well-being of God's creatures ('ibad), God will widen for him all that is good in this life and in the hereafter. Hence, no reasonable person (al-'aqil) could ever restrict [the purport of] this verse to merely making room for one another in an [actual] assembly."

The interpretation implied in the words "for a good deed" interpolated by me above is analogous to that offered by most of the classical commentators, and most explicitly by Tabari; in the words of Qatadah (ibid.), "Whenever you are called upon to do a good deed, respond to this call."

Cf. the saying of the Prophet: "The superiority of a learned man ('alim) over a [mere] worshipper ('abid) is like the superiority of the moon on the night when it is full over all other stars" (Ibn Hanbal, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Darimi).

O believers! When you are asked to make room in your meetings, make room, Allah will make room for you in the Hereafter. And if you are told to rise up, then rise up: Allah will raise to higher ranks those of you who have faith and knowledge. Allah is aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! When it is said, Make room! in assemblies, then make room; Allah will make way for you (hereafter). And when it is said, Come up higher! go up higher; Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks. Allah is informed of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever you [intend to] consult the Apostle, offer up something in charity on the occasion of your consultation:²² this will be for your own good, and more conducive to your [inner] purity. Yet if you are unable to do so,²³ [know that,] verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

This call to an exercise of charity on every occasion (bayna yaday) of one's "consultation" with God's Apostle has been widely misunderstood as applying only to factual consultations with him, i.e., in his lifetime, supposedly with a view to lessening the encroachments on his time by some of his too-eager followers. This misunderstanding, together with the qualified dispensation from the above-mentioned injunction expressed in the next verse, has given rise to the unwarranted contention by some of the commentators that this injunction has been "abrogated". But apart from the fact that the theory of "abrogation" as such is entirely untenable (see 2:106 and the corresponding note [87]), the above verse reveals its true meaning as soon as we realize that the term "the Apostle" (ar-rasul) is used in the Qur'an not merely to designate the unique person of the Prophet Muhammad but also the sum-total of the teachings conveyed by him to the world. This is evident from the many Qur'anic exhortations, "Pay heed unto God and the Apostle", and, more specifically (in 4:59 ), "if you are at variance over any matter, refer it unto God [i.e., the Qur'an] and the Apostle [i.e., his sunnah]", which latter is but meant to elucidate the former.

Lit., "if you do not find", sc., anyone on whom to bestow charity at that particular moment, or have - for whatever reason - no opportunity to exercise it.

O believers! When you want to consult the Rasool in private, offer something in charity before your consultation, that is best and purest for you. But if you lack the means, know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O ye who believe! When ye hold conference with the messenger, offer an alms before your conference. That is better and purer for you. But if ye cannot find (the wherewithal) then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do you, perchance, fear lest [you may be sinning if] you cannot offer up anything in charity on the occasion of your consultation [with the Apostle]? But if you fail to do it [for lack of opportunity], and God turns unto you in His mercy, remain but constant in prayer and render [no more than] the purifying dues,²⁴ and [thus] pay heed unto God and His Apostle: for God is fully aware of all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the obligatory tax (zakah) which is meant to purify a believer's possessions and income from the taint of selfishness: implying that one's inability to do more by way of charity does not constitute a sin.

Do you hesitate to give out in charity before your private consultation with him? If you cannot afford it - Allah will forgive you - so establish Salah and pay Zakah, and obey Allah and His Rasool. Allah is well aware of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Fear ye to offer alms before your conference? Then, when ye do it not and Allah hath forgiven you, establish worship and pay the poor due and obey Allah and His messenger. And Allah is Aware of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

ART THOU NOT aware of those who would be friends with people whom God has condemned?²⁵ They are neither of you [O believers] nor of those [who utterly reject the truth]: and so they swear to a falsehood the while they know [it to be false].

  - Mohammad Asad

For the meaning of "God's condemnation", see note [4] on the last verse of Al-Fatihah. In this particular context, the ones "who would be friends with people whom God has condemned" are the half-hearted who - while dimly perceiving the truth of God's existence and self-revelation - are nevertheless unwilling to surrender themselves to this truth for fear of estranging themselves from their God-denying environment and, thus, of losing what they regard as the material advantages of a spiritually uncommitted life: and it is this moral falsehood to which the last sentence of this verse refers. (See also the last verse of surah {60}.)

Have you not seen the ones who have befriended those people who are under the wrath of Allah? They are neither on your side nor yet on theirs and they knowingly swear to falsehood.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou not seen those who take for friends a folk with whom Allah is wroth? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear a false oath knowingly.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

God has readied for them suffering severe [in the life to come]. Behold, evil indeed is what they are wont to do:

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment; evil indeed is what they are doing.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah hath prepared for them a dreadful doom. Evil indeed is that which they are wont to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

they have made their oaths a cover [for their falseness], and thus they turn others away from the path of God:²⁶ hence, shameful suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by sowing doubts in other people's hearts.

They use their oaths as shields, and debar others from the Way of Allah. They shall have a humiliating punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They make a shelter of their oaths and turn (men) from the way of Allah; so theirs will be a shameful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Neither their worldly possessions nor their offspring will be of the least avail to them against God: it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide!

  - Mohammad Asad

Neither their riches nor their sons shall avail them anything against Allah. They shall be the inmates of hell and live there forever.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Their wealth and their children will avail them naught against Allah. Such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

On the Day when God will raise them all from the dead, they will swear before Him as they [now] swear before you, thinking that they are on firm ground [in their assumptions].²⁷ Oh, verily, it is they, they who are the [greatest] liars!²⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Namely, that their preference of worldly benefits to a spiritual commitment is and, therefore, morally "justified". It is to this flagrant self-deception that the next sentence refers.

The definite article al prefixed to the participial noun kadhibun indicates that the people thus characterized have reached the utmost degree of self-deception; hence my interpolation of the adjective "greatest" in consonance with Zamakhshari's interpretation of the above phrase.

On the Day when Allah will raise them all to life, they will swear to Him as they now swear to you, thinking that their oaths will help them. By no means! Surely they are the liars.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the day when Allah will raise them all together, then will they swear unto Him as they (now) swear unto you, and they will fancy that they have some standing. Lo! is it not they who are the liars?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Satan has gained mastery over them, and has caused them to remain oblivious of the remembrance of God. Such as these are Satan's partisans: oh, verily, it is they, the partisans of Satan, who will truly be the losers!

  - Mohammad Asad

Shaitan has gained possession of them, and caused them to forget Allah's warning. They are the party of shaitan. Beware! Surely it is the party of shaitan that shall be the loser.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The devil hath engrossed them and so hath caused them to forget remembrance of Allah. They are the devil's party. Lo! is it not the devil's party who will be the losers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, those who contend against God and His Apostle - it is they who [on Judgment Day] shall find themselves among the most abject.

  - Mohammad Asad

Those who resist Allah and His Rasool will be among the most humiliated.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who oppose Allah and His messenger, they will be among the lowest.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall