Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:95
Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] - other than the disabled - and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujahideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to both Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward -
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement: لا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ (Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means by His statement "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive (al-mujāhidūn)": not equivalent are those who hold back from the jihād in the way of Allah, from among the people of faith (īmān) in Allah and in His Messenger, who prefer ease and rest and sitting at home in their dwellings over enduring the hardship of travel and journeying through the earth, and over the toil of encountering the enemies of Allah by striving (jihād) against them for the sake of Allah, and fighting them in obedience to Allah — with the exception of those among them who have an excuse through the loss of their eyesight, and other ailments whose bearers, because of the impediment (ḍarar) they have, have no way to fight against and strive (jihād) against them in the way of Allah — "and those who strive in the way of Allah" and in the way of His religion, so that the word of Allah may be the highest, who fully expend their capacity in the struggle against the enemies of Allah and the enemies of their religion — "with their wealth," by spending it on that which weakens the cunning of the enemies of the people of faith in Allah — "and with their lives," by personally engaging in their struggle, in that manner by which the word of Allah becomes the highest and the word of those who disbelieve the lowest.
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The reciters differed in the recitation of His statement: "except those who have an impediment" (ghayr ūlī al-ḍarar).
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The majority of the reciters of the people of Medina, Mecca, and Syria recited it as (غَيْرَ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ), in the accusative (naṣb), with the meaning: except (illā) those who have an impediment.
And the majority of the reciters of the people of Kūfa and Baṣra recited it as (غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ), with the nominative (rafʿ) of "ghayr," according to the manner of being an adjectival qualifier of "those who sit at home."
Abū Jaʿfar said: The correct reading of it according to us is: (غَيْرَ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ) with the accusative of "ghayr," because the reports abundantly testify that His statement "except those who have an impediment" was revealed after His statement "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives," as an exception (istithnāʾ) to His statement "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive."
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Mention of some of the reports that have been transmitted concerning that:
10233 — Naṣr ibn ʿAlī al-Jahḍamī related to us, saying: al-Muʿtamir ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Barāʾ: that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Bring me the shoulder blade and the tablet." And he had written: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive," while ʿAmr ibn Umm Maktūm was behind his back. He said: "Do I have a dispensation (rukhṣa), O Messenger of Allah?" Then was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10234 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Bakr ibn ʿAyyāsh related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Barāʾ, he said: When "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home" was revealed, Ibn Umm Maktūm, who was blind, came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, how is it, while I am blind?" And he had not yet departed before there was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10235 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, concerning His statement "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment," he said: When it was revealed, ʿAmr ibn Umm Maktūm came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he was blind of sight, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you command me, for I am blind of sight?" Then Allah revealed this verse, and he said: "Bring me the shoulder blade and the inkpot," or: "the tablet and the inkpot."
10236 — Ismāʿīl ibn Isrāʾīl al-Dallāl al-Ramlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Mughīra related to us, saying: Misʿar related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Barāʾ: that when "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home" was revealed, Ibn Umm Maktūm addressed him, and then was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10237 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, that he heard al-Barāʾ saying concerning this verse "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah": he said: Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded Zayd, and he came with a shoulder blade and wrote it down. He said: Then Ibn Umm Maktūm complained to him of his blindness, and then was revealed: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment."
— Shuʿba said: And Saʿd ibn Ibrāhīm informed me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of a man, on the authority of Zayd, concerning this verse "Not equal are those who sit at home," like the report of al-Barāʾ.
10238 — Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Isḥāq ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of Abū Sinān al-Shaybānī, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of Zayd ibn Arqam, he said: When "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah" was revealed, Ibn Umm Maktūm came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do I not have a dispensation (rukhṣa)?" He said: "No!" Ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Allah, I am impeded, so grant me a dispensation!" Then Allah revealed: "except those who have an impediment," and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded and he — that is: the scribe — wrote it down.
10239 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Bazīʿ and Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm both related to me, they said: Bishr ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Sahl ibn Saʿd, he said: I saw Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam sitting, and I came until I sat beside him, and he related to us on the authority of Zayd ibn Thābit: that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had revealed to him "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah." He said: Then Ibn Umm Maktūm came while he was dictating it to me, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah, if I were able to do jihād, I would strive!" He said: Then it was revealed to him, while his thigh was on my thigh, and it became so heavy that I thought my thigh would be crushed. Then it was lifted from him, and he said: "except those who have an impediment."
10240 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of al-Zuhrī, on the authority of Qabīṣa ibn Dhuʾayb, on the authority of Zayd ibn Thābit, he said: I was the scribe for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said: "Write: Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah." Then ʿAbd Allāh ibn Umm Maktūm came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I love jihād in the way of Allah, but I have a chronic affliction (zamāna) as you see: my eyesight is gone!" Zayd said: Then the thigh of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became so heavy on my thigh that I feared it would crush it. Then he said: "Write: Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive in the way of Allah."
10241 — al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Ibn Jurayj informed us, saying: ʿAbd al-Karīm informed me: that Miqsam, the freedman of ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥārith, informed him: that Ibn ʿAbbās informed him, he said: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home" [who stayed behind] from Badr, and those who went out to Badr.
10242 — al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-Karīm informed me: that he heard Miqsam relating on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, that he heard him saying: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home" [who stayed behind] from Badr, and those who went out to Badr, when the expedition (ghazw) of Badr came up. ʿAbd Allāh ibn Umm Maktūm and Abū Aḥmad ibn Jaḥsh ibn Qays al-Asadī said: "O Messenger of Allah, we are both blind, do we have a dispensation?" Then was revealed: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel in rank over those who sit at home."
10243 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives." ʿAbd Allāh ibn Umm Maktūm the blind man heard that, and he came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah has revealed concerning jihād what you know, and I am a man blind of sight, unable to do jihād. Do I then have a dispensation with Allah if I sit at home?" Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: "I have not been commanded anything in your matter, and I do not know whether there will be a dispensation for you and your companions!" Ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Allah, I implore You by my eyesight!" Then Allah afterward revealed to His Messenger ﷺ, and He said: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive in the way of Allah," up to His statement: "over those who sit at home a rank."
10244 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd, he said: When "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah" was revealed, a blind man said: "O Prophet of Allah, I love jihād but I am not able to strive!" Then was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10245 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Hushaym related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Shaddād, he said: When this verse concerning jihād was revealed, "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home," ʿAbd Allāh ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am impeded as you see!" Then was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10246 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, his statement: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment" — Allah excused the people with an excuse among the people, and said: "except those who have an impediment." Among them was Ibn Umm Maktūm — "and those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives."
10247 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home, except those who have an impediment, and those who strive in the way of Allah," up to His statement: "And to each Allah has promised the best." When the merit of jihād was mentioned, Ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am blind and not able to do jihād!" Then Allah revealed concerning him: "except those who have an impediment."
10248 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Nufaylī related to us, saying: Zuhayr ibn Muʿāwiya related to us, saying: Abū Isḥāq related to us, on the authority of al-Barāʾ, he said: I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said: "Call Zayd for me, and tell him to come — or: that he come — with the shoulder blade and the inkpot — or: the tablet and the inkpot — (the doubt is from Zuhayr) — write: Not equal are those of the believers who sit at home and those who strive in the way of Allah." Then Ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Messenger of Allah, in my eyes there is an impediment!" Then, before he had departed, was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
10249 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Rajāʾ al-Baṣrī related to us, saying: Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Isḥāq, on the authority of al-Barāʾ, in a similar manner — except that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Call Zayd for me, and let him come to me with a shoulder blade and an inkpot — or: a tablet and an inkpot."
10250 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Mūsā related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Ziyād ibn Fayyāḍ, on the authority of Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, he said: When "Not equal are those who sit at home" was revealed, ʿAmr ibn Umm Maktūm said: "O Lord, You have tested me, how shall I act?" He said: Then was revealed: "except those who have an impediment."
And Ibn ʿAbbās used to say concerning the meaning of "except those who have an impediment" something similar to what we have said.
10251 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his statement: "except those who have an impediment," he said: the people with an impediment.
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The discourse on the explanation of His statement: فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً (Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel in rank over those who sit at home.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means by His statement "Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel in rank over those who sit at home": Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel by a rank — that is: a single merit — over those who sit at home from among the people with an impediment, and that through the merit of his striving with his person; but as for the rest, the two of them are equal. As:
10252 — al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us: that he heard Ibn Jurayj saying concerning "Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel in rank over those who sit at home": he said: over the people with an impediment.
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The discourse on the explanation of His statement: وَكُلا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَفَضَّلَ اللَّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا (95) (And to each Allah has promised the best, and Allah has made those who strive excel over those who sit at home with a tremendous reward.) (95)
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His praise, means: "And to each Allah has promised the best" — Allah has promised to all of them, of those who strive with their wealth and their lives, and those who sit at home from among the people with an impediment, "the best." And He, exalted is His praise, means by "the best" the Garden (al-janna). As:
10253 — Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "And to each Allah has promised the best" — and that is the Garden, and Allah gives to everyone who possesses merit his merit.
10254 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, he said: "the best" is the Garden.
And as for His statement "and Allah has made those who strive excel over those who sit at home with a tremendous reward," it means: and Allah has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives excel over those who sit at home — of those without an impediment — with a tremendous reward. As:
10255 — al-Qāsim related to me, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Abū [Ibn] Jurayj: "and Allah has made those who strive excel over those who sit at home with a tremendous reward * ranks from Him and forgiveness," he said: over those who sit at home from among the believers, without an impediment.