Tafseer of The Ranks · As-Saff · 61:4
Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.
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 Exalted, whose praise is proclaimed, says to those who said: "If we knew the deeds most beloved to Allah, we would perform them until we die": إِنَّ اللَّهَ ("Verily, Allah"), O community, يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ ("loves those who fight in His path") — as if they, that is: in His path and in His religion to which He has called — صَفًّا ("in ranks"), by which He means that they fight the enemies of Allah arrayed in battle order.
And His statement: كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ ("as if they were a solidly joined structure"). He says: they fight in the path of Allah in an arrayed rank, as if in their formation there they were walls that have been built, closely joined together, made firm and solid, so that nothing of them is left open. And some of them said: it is built with lead (raṣāṣ).
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his statement: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ ("Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks, as if they were a solidly joined structure"). Have you not seen how the builder of a structure does not want his structure to be uneven? Likewise the Blessed and Exalted does not wish His affair to be uneven. And Allah has described the believers in their fighting as He described them in their prayer (ṣalāh). So adhere to the affair of Allah, for that is a protection for whoever holds fast to it.
Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ ("Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks, as if they were a solidly joined structure"). He said: and these are those who confirmed their word with their deeds; and he said: and these others did not confirm their word with their deeds, for when the Prophet ﷺ went forth, they shrank back from him and stayed behind. And some of the scholars said: Allah only said إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا ("Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks") in order to indicate that fighting on foot is more beloved to Him than fighting on horseback, because the horsemen do not array themselves in ranks, and only the foot soldiers array themselves in ranks.
* Mention of who said that:
Saʿīd ibn ʿAmr al-Sakūnī related to me, he said: Baqiyya ibn al-Walīd related to us, on the authority of Abū Bakr ibn Abī Maryam, on the authority of Yaḥyā ibn Jābir al-Ṭāʾī, on the authority of Abū Baḥriyya, he said: they detested fighting on horseback and preferred fighting on foot on the ground, on account of the statement of Allah: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ ("Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His path in ranks, as if they were a solidly joined structure"). He said: and Abū Baḥriyya used to say: if you see me turning around in the rank, then strike me on my jaws.
