سورة النساء

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Indeed Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, sent Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) to all — white and black, jinn and mankind — and granted him [the right to] take the jizya, take the polytheists as captives, and take ransom from them. Then a duty was placed upon him which had not been placed upon any of the prophets, and a sword without a sheath was sent down upon him from heaven, and it was said to him: فَقاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ لا تُکَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَکَ [Fight then in Allah's way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sulayman ibn Khalid says: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "People say concerning Ali (peace be upon him): 'If he had a right, what prevented him from taking his right?'" He said: "Allah placed such a responsibility upon only one person, and that was the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). فَقَاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ لاَ تُکَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَکَ وَ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ [Fight then in Allah's way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself, and rouse the believers] — this matter concerns only the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and regarding others Allah said: 'except one turning aside for battle or joining another group' (al-Anfal/16). At that time there was no group that would help him in this matter."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Murazim narrates: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Allah placed upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) a heavy duty which He placed upon none of His creation; He gave him this responsibility that even if he did not find a group that would help him in war, he alone should fight against all people, whereas Allah gave no one from His creation such a responsibility, neither before him nor after him. Then he recited this verse: فَقَاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ لاَ تُکَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَکَ [Fight then in Allah's way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself]. Then he said: "Allah permitted him to take for himself whatever He had appointed for Himself, and said: 'Whoever does a good deed shall be recompensed tenfold.' (al-An'am/160). And He made the salawat upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) equivalent to ten good deeds."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It was never the case that help was sought from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and he said no; if he had something, he would give it, and if he had nothing, he would say: "إن‌شاءالله [Allah willing] you will find it." And he never responded to evil with evil. And from the time the verse فَقَاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ لاَ تُکَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَکَ [Fight then in Allah's way; this is not imposed on you except in relation to yourself] was revealed to him, whenever he faced any army, he himself took over the command.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): ... The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "My brother, you are not like me in this respect, that Allah has commanded me to proclaim the truth openly and has informed me that He will protect me from the evil of the people, and He has commanded me to wage jihad even if I am alone, where He says: فَقاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ‌اللهِ، لا تُکَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَکَ [Fight in the way of Allah; you are not responsible except for yourself], and He said: Rouse the believers to battle (al-Anfal/65). I and you [O Ali (peace be upon him)] were both mujahids. During the time I remained in Makkah I was not commanded to fight, and then Allah commanded me to fight, because the religion, the laws, the sunnahs, the rulings, the limits (hudud), and the halal and haram are not known except through me. After me, people will abandon what Allah commanded them and what I commanded them regarding you — your wilayah (guardianship) — and I have made your proof manifest, and they will do this deliberately, not out of ignorance, and not because the matter has become confused for them, especially because of the conduct they have previously carried out in opposition to Allah. So if you find helpers against them, wage jihad against them; and if you do not find helpers, hold back your hand and preserve your blood, for if you confront them with hostility and break from them, they will kill you. And if they follow you and obey you, drive them to the truth; otherwise, leave them. And if they respond to you and your enemies declare war upon you, you too declare war on them and wage jihad against them; and if you do not find helpers, hold back your hand and preserve your blood."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Zayd al-Shahham said: I said to Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): May I be your ransom! They (the people) are saying: "If the truth was with Ali (peace be upon him), what prevented him from rising up and taking his right (the imamate)?" He said: "Allah has not imposed this obligation on anyone — that he must be the initiator of jihad [to take his right] — except upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) himself, to whom He said: فَقاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ لا تُکَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَکَ [Fight in the way of Allah; you are not responsible except for yourself], and the ruling for the rest is that you have permission to fight only when a group accompanies you, except for those who turn back for the sake of preparing for battle or those who go to join another group (al-Anfal/16). And Ali (peace be upon him) had not found a group to accompany him — had he found one, he would surely have risen to jihad." Then the Imam (peace be upon him) said: "If Ja'far (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hamza (may Allah have mercy on him) had been alive, there would have been two men, and he would certainly have done so."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): When the verse لاَ تُکَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَکَ [You are not responsible except for yourself] was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), even the bravest of people would take refuge with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Anyone who has within himself a dog that seeks evil, keep away from him so that Allah may suffice you against the evil of others. Allah says: وَ اللهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْساً وَ أَشَدُّ تَنْکِیلاً [And Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment]. Do not commit evil and wrongdoing.