سورة محمد

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): فَهَلْ عَسَیْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ [But if you held command] means perhaps if you turn away from this matter, you will disobey Allah, وَ تُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحامَکُمْ [and cut off the ties of kinship]. Allah entrusted the affair of this ummah to them, and they acted with tyranny and sin, and severed the ties of kinship of their Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): It was revealed concerning Banu Hashim and Banu Umayyah.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): al-Halabi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) recited the verse فَهَل عَسَیْتُمْ إِن تَولیْتُمْ أَن تُفْسِدُوا فِی الأَرْضِ وتُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحَامَکُمْ [But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship!] and said: "This verse was revealed concerning our cousins, the Banu al-Abbas, and also concerning the Banu Umayya."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): It was revealed concerning the Banu Umayya and what they did to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): ... When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) took the covenant for Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), he said: "Do you know who your guardian is after me?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) know best." He said: "Allah says: 'If you two [wives] back each other against him, [you will accomplish nothing,] for indeed Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel and the righteous believers are his supporters.' (Tahrim/4). What is meant is Ali (peace be upon him) — he is your guardian after me." This was the first occasion. As for the second occasion, when on the Day of Ghadir Khumm he made the people witnesses to the wilaya of Ali (peace be upon him), a group were saying: "If Allah takes the soul of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), we shall never let the caliphate go to his relatives and we shall not give them anything of the khums." Allah informed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) of this secret and revealed to him this verse: "Or do they suppose that We do not hear their secrets and their private conversations? Yes indeed! And Our messengers [angels] are with them, writing down." (Zukhruf/80). And He also revealed this verse: فَهَلْ عَسَیْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ أَنْ تُفْسِدُوا فِی الْأَرْضِ وَ تُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحامَکُم [But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship!].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): What is meant by فَهَلْ عَسَیْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ [But if you held command / turned away] is turning away from Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (peace be upon him).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his forefathers that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: When knowledge becomes manifest but people refrain from acting upon it, and tongues become united and joined while hearts become divided and sundered, and relatives sever ties with one another — at that time Allah will curse them and make them deaf and blind their eyes [so that they are prevented from perceiving the truth].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): In the book of Ali (peace be upon him) it is [written] that: the possessor of three traits will not die until he sees their evil consequences: oppression, severing ties of kinship, and the false oath by which one contends with Allah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Three groups will not enter Paradise: the habitual drinker of wine, one who is constantly engaged in sorcery and magic, and one who severs ties with his kin.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): So the right of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) is greater than the right of one's father and mother; and the right of his kin is also greater than the right of their kin. Maintaining ties with the kin of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is more valuable, and severing them is more grievous. Woe! Truly woe upon the one who severs them! Woe, woe, woe upon the one who does not observe their right! Do you not know that respect for the kin of the Prophet is respect for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and respect for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is respect for Allah, and the right of Allah is above that of every benefactor other than Him? For every benefactor other than Allah, the favour he has shown is only through a blessing that Allah placed at his disposal and enabled him with.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Beware of the company of one who has severed ties with his kin, for I found him cursed in the book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in three places. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: فَهَلْ عَسَیْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ أَنْ تُفْسِدُوا فِی الْأَرْضِ وَ تُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحامَکُمْ [But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship!].