سورة المائدة

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): يا أَیُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لا یَحْزُنْکَ الَّذِینَ یُسارِعُونَ فِی الْکُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِینَ قالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ [O Messenger! Let not those grieve you who hasten into disbelief, from among those who say with their mouths, "We believe," while their hearts do not believe]. The occasion of the revelation of this verse was as follows: in Medina there were two tribes of the Jews of Banu Harun called Banu al-Nadir and Banu Qurayza. Banu Qurayza numbered seven hundred and Banu al-Nadir numbered one thousand, and Banu al-Nadir were wealthier and better off than Qurayza and were allies of Abdullah ibn Ubayy. Whenever a killing took place between Banu Qurayza and Banu al-Nadir, and the killer was from Banu al-Nadir, they would say to Banu Qurayza: "We will not accept that one of our slain be counted equal to one of your slain." In this matter there was much exchange between them, and they were on the verge of fighting one another, until Qurayza accepted, and they wrote a covenant between themselves stipulating that whenever a man from Banu al-Nadir killed a man from Banu Qurayza, the killer would be subjected to tajbiya and tahmim. Tajbiya (mounting in disgrace) means that he be seated on a camel with his face turned towards the tail of the camel, and his face be smeared with tahmim, that is, covered with foul black mud; and along with that, he would pay half of the blood-money. But if any man from Banu Qurayza killed a man from Banu al-Nadir, he had to pay the full blood-money and be killed as well. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) migrated to Medina and the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj embraced Islam, the Jews lost their supporters. A man from Banu Qurayza killed a man from Banu al-Nadir, and Banu al-Nadir wrote to Banu Qurayza saying: "Pay the blood-money and hand over the killer as well so that we may kill him." Banu Qurayza said: "This is not the ruling of the Torah; it is only something you had imposed on us by force. So either the blood-money or death — otherwise let Muhammad judge between us and you; come, let us take him as arbiter." Banu al-Nadir went to Abdullah ibn Ubayy and said: "Ask Muhammad not to break our stipulation in the judgement between us and Banu Qurayza regarding killing." Abdullah ibn Ubayy said: "Send a man with me who can hear my words and his; if he rules for you as you wish, well and good; otherwise, do not accept his arbitration." They sent a man with him, and he came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! These two peoples, Qurayza and al-Nadir, have written between themselves a pact, a document and a firm covenant on which they agreed; and now, in your presence, they intend to break it, though they have consented to your judgement among them. So do not annul this stipulation and pact of theirs upon them, and [uphold it], for Banu al-Nadir possess strength, weapons and cavalry, and we fear grievous events and severe clashes." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) grew sorrowful upon hearing this and gave him no reply, and Jibra'il sent down these verses upon him: یَا أَیُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ یَحْزُنکَ الَّذِینَ یُسَارِعونَ فِی الْکُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِینَ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِینَ هَادُواْ [O Messenger! Let not those grieve you who hasten into disbelief, from among those who say with their mouths, "We believe," while their hearts do not believe, and from those who are Jews] — that is, the Jews — سَمَّاعونَ لِلْکَذِبِ سَمَّاعونَ لِقَوْمٍ آخَرِینَ لَمْ یَأْتُوکَ یُحَرِّفُونَ الْکَلِمَ مِن بَعدِ مَوَاضِعهِ [listeners to falsehood, listeners for another people who have not come to you; they distort the words from after their [proper] places] — that is, Abdullah ibn Ubayy and Banu al-Nadir — یَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِیتُمْ هَذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ [they say, "If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given it, then beware"] — meaning Abdullah ibn Ubayy, when he said to Banu al-Nadir: "If he does not rule according to what you want, do not accept the arbitration." وَمَن یُرِدِ اللهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِکَ لَهُ مِنَ اللهِ شَیْئًا أُوْلَئِکَ الَّذِینَ لَمْ یُرِدِ اللهُ أَن یُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِی الدُّنْیَا خِزْیٌ وَلَهُمْ فِی الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیمٌ * سَمَّاعونَ لِلْکَذِبِ أَکَّالُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ فَإِن جَآؤُوکَ فَاحْکُم بَیْنَهُم أَوْ أَعرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَإِن تُعرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن یَضُرُّوکَ شَیْئًا وَإِنْ حَکَمْتَ فَاحْکُم بَیْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ إِنَّ اللهَ یُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِینَ * وَکَیْفَ یُحَکِّمُونَکَ وَعِنْدَهُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ فِیهَا حُکْمُ اللهِ ثُمَّ یَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِن بَعدِ ذَلِکَ وَمَا أُوْلَئِکَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِینَ * إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِیهَا هُدًی وَنُورٌ یَحْکُمُ بِهَا النَّبِیُّونَ الَّذِینَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِینَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِیُّونَ وَالأَحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن کِتَابِ اللهِ وَکَانُواْ عَلَیْهِ شُهَدَاءَ فَلاَ تَخْشَوُاْ النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِآیَاتِی ثَمَنًا قَلِیلاً وَمَن لَّمْ یَحْکُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئِکَ هُمُ الْکَافِرُونَ [And whoever Allah wills to try, you can never avail him anything against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah did not will to purify; for them in this world is disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment. Listeners to falsehood, devourers of unlawful gain. So if they come to you, judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them, they can never harm you at all. But if you judge, judge between them with justice — indeed, Allah loves the just. And how do they take you as arbiter when they have the Torah with them, in which is the ruling of Allah? Yet then they turn away after that; those are not believers. Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which is guidance and light. By it the prophets who submitted judged for those who were Jews, as did the rabbis and the scholars, according to what they were entrusted to preserve of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses over it. So do not fear the people, but fear Me; and do not exchange My verses for a paltry price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has sent down — those are the disbelievers]. The saying of Allah یَقُولُونَ نَخْشَی أَن تُصِیبَنَا دَآئِرَةٌ [they say, "We fear that a misfortune may befall us"] — this is the statement of Abdullah ibn Ubayy to the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): "Do not annul the ruling of Banu al-Nadir; we fear calamities."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): A woman from Khaybar, who was of noble lineage among them, committed adultery with a man from their noblemen, and both of them were muhsan (married). They did not want the two of them to be stoned. So they sent someone to the Jews of Madinah and wrote to them to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) about the ruling on their adultery, hoping that a dispensation would be issued for them. So a group of them, including Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, Ka'b ibn Usayd, Shu'bah ibn Amr, Malik ibn al-Dayf, Kinanah ibn Abi al-Huqayq and others, set out and went to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Inform us of the punishment for a muhsan man and woman who commit adultery." The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Will you be satisfied with my judgement on that matter?" They said: "Yes." Jibra'il (peace be upon him) came down with the ruling of stoning and informed them of it. After that they refused to accept the ruling. Jibra'il said: "Make Ibn Suriya the arbitrator between yourself and them," and Jibra'il described his characteristics for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to the Jews: "Do you know a young man, beardless, fair, one-eyed, who lives in Fadak, by the name of Ibn Suriya?" They said: "Yes." He said: "What sort of man is he among you?" They said: "The most learned Jew on the face of the earth regarding the Torah." He said: "Send someone and bring him here." They did so, and Abd Allah ibn Suriya came into the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Jews. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to him: "I adjure you by the One Allah — the very One who sent down the Torah upon Musa (peace be upon him), split the sea for you to save you and drowned the people of Pharaoh in the water, spread masses of cloud as shade over you, and sent down for you manna and quail — is the ruling of stoning for the muhsan man and woman who commit adultery specified in your Book?" Ibn Suriya said: "By the Torah with which Allah has admonished me, yes. Were it not for my fear that if I deny the Torah or alter it the Allah of the Torah would burn me, I would not tell you." "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Tell me: how is the ruling of stoning in your Book?" He said: "When four just men bear witness that the muhsan man has inserted his organ as the applicator is inserted into the kohl-container, stoning is obligatory." Ibn Suriya said: "The ruling in the Torah of Musa is also thus." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "What gave you licence to make light of the ruling of stoning?" Ibn Suriya said: "Whenever a noble person committed such an act, we would let him go, and if a weak, wretched person committed adultery, we would carry out the ruling of stoning on him. As a result, adultery became widespread among our noblemen, until the king's cousin committed adultery, and we did not stone him. But when another man committed adultery, the king wanted to carry out the ḥadd of stoning on him. The people said to the king: 'No, first stone your cousin.' We said: come, let us hold an assembly and lay down a law less than stoning, which will apply equally to the poor and the rich. So we laid down flogging and blackening of the face — that is, forty lashes are given, then their faces are blackened, then the adulterous man and woman are mounted backwards on a donkey and the donkey is paraded around." The Jews adopted this method in place of stoning. The Jews said to Ibn Suriya: "How quickly you informed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)! When we praised you, you were not worthy of praise. But you were absent and we did not want to speak ill of you." He said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) adjured me by the Torah; had he not done so, I would not have informed him." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) ordered that the adulterous man and woman be stoned in front of the mosque, and said: "After the Jewish people disregarded this ruling, I am the one who revives it." After this incident, Allah the Glorified sent down this verse: يَا أَهْلَ الْکِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَکُمْ رَسُولُنَا یُبَیِّنُ لَکُمْ کَثِیرًا مِمَّا کُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْکِتَابِ وَیَعْفُو عَنْ کَثِیرٍ [O People of the Book! Indeed Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you much of what you used to hide of the Book and pardoning much]. Ibn Suriya stood up and placed his two hands on the knees of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Then he said: "This is the standing of one who seeks refuge in Allah and in you. So state for us the matters concerning which you have been commanded to pardon." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) declined to answer the question. Then Ibn Suriya asked him about his sleep. He said: "My eyes go to sleep while my heart is awake." Ibn Suriya said: "You speak truly. Inform me of the matter of a child resembling his father and not resembling his mother, or the reverse — resembling his mother and bearing no resemblance whatever to his father." The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Whichever one's fluid prevails and precedes that of the other, [the child resembles him more]." He said: "Tell me: what does the child receive from the father and what from the mother?" The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) fell unconscious for a long time, then came out of that state with a flushed face, pouring with sweat, and said: "The flesh, the blood, the nails and the hair are from the woman, and the bones, the sinews and the veins are from the man." Ibn Suriya said: "You speak truly. Your affair is the affair of a prophet." At that very moment he embraced Islam and said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), which angel descends upon you?" He said: "Jibra'il." He said: "Describe him for me." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) proceeded to describe Jibra'il. Then Ibn Suriya said: "I bear witness that the description of Jibra'il in the Torah is the same as your description. You are truly the true Messenger of Allah." When Ibn Suriya embraced Islam, the Jewish people insulted him and reviled him. When they wished to rise up, the tribe of Banu Qurayzah joined the Banu al-Nadir. They said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Our brothers are Banu al-Nadir; our father, our prophet and our religion are one. Whenever the Banu al-Nadir kill one of us and are unable to pay ransom, they pay us seventy camel-loads of dates in place of blood-money; and whenever one of the Banu al-Nadir is killed at the hands of our men, they kill the killer and take from us double that, namely one hundred and forty camel-loads of dates. And if the one killed is a woman, one man of ours is killed in exchange for her, and if one man of theirs is killed, two of our men are killed in exchange, and one noble free man of ours is killed in exchange for the killing of a slave of the Banu al-Nadir. Meanwhile they count the blood-money of our wounded as half the blood-money of the wounded of the Banu al-Nadir. So judge between us and the Banu al-Nadir." It was at this point that Allah sent down these verses regarding stoning and retaliation.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) migrated to Medina, there were in it three tribes of the Jews from the descendants of Harun, namely: Banu Qurayza, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qaynuqa. When the Aws and the Khazraj embraced Islam, the Jews came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! We would like to make peace with you, so that we may see what becomes of your affair." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) responded positively out of graciousness and wrote them a document in which he made peace with them and left them free in their religion, so that they and their companions would not be subjected to any assault or harm, and they in turn guaranteed with their own lives that they would not, in any way, plot against him or any of his companions. The Aws were allies of Banu Qurayza and the Khazraj were allies of Banu Nadir. The number of Banu Nadir was greater than that of Banu Qurayza, and their wealth was greater, and the number of their fighters was one thousand men, while the number of the fighters of Banu Qurayza was one hundred men. And whenever a killing occurred between them, Banu Nadir would not agree that a slain man [of theirs] should be paid for by [merely] a slain man [of the other]; rather they would say: "We are nobler, more numerous, stronger, and mightier." Then they subsequently agreed among themselves to draw up a document, in which they stipulated that any man of Banu Nadir who killed a man of Banu Qurayza would pay half the blood-money, and حُمِّمَ وَجْهُهُ [his face would be blackened] — and the meaning of حُمِّمَ وَجْهُهُ is "his face is blackened," that is, blackened with charcoal — and he would be seated on a donkey with his face turned toward the donkey's tail, and he would be denounced publicly in the quarter. And any man of Banu Qurayza who killed a man of Banu Nadir had to pay the full blood-money, and the killer would be put to death together with the payment of the blood-money. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) migrated to Medina and the Aws and the Khazraj entered the religion of Islam, a man of Banu Qurayza attacked a man of Banu Nadir [and killed him]. Then Banu Nadir sent someone to Banu Qurayza [saying]: "Send us the killer of our comrade so that we may kill him, and send us the blood-money." But Banu Qurayza refused that and said: "This is not the ruling of Allah in the Torah. This is only a ruling you have invented, and you have no right against us except the blood-money or the killing [of the killer]. So if you are satisfied with that [well and good], and otherwise Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is between us and you; we shall all go to him for judgement." He said: Banu Nadir sent someone to Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, who was the leader of the hypocrites, and said: "You know the alliance and pact that is between us, and O company of Ansar of the tribe of Khazraj! we were your supporters against whoever harmed you. And Banu Qurayza have refused what we stipulated upon them, and they invited us to the judgement of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and we have agreed to it; so ask him not to nullify our condition." Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul said to them: "Send a man from yourselves to me so that he may be present at my words and the words of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family); then if you see that he rules in your favour and leaves you upon that which you were [previously] upon, be satisfied with it, and if he does not do so, do not accept his ruling." Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul came, accompanied by a man from the Jews, to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! These Jews possess number and force and might and strength, and there had been written between them a document of stipulation which they had agreed upon among themselves and all had accepted, and they are coming to you; so do not nullify their condition." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was distressed by his words and did not answer him and entered his house, and Allah revealed to him: يا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لا يَحْزُنْكَ الَّذينَ يُسارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذينَ قالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ [O Messenger! let not those grieve you who hasten into disbelief from among those who say with their mouths, "We believe," but their hearts do not believe]; what Allah the Exalted meant is Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul. Then Allah the Glorified said: وَ مِنَ الَّذينَ هادُوا سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّاعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ آخَرينَ [And from among those who are Jews; they are listeners to falsehood, listeners for another people]; what is meant by it is the Jewish man who came together with Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul in order to listen to what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) would say in reply to Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, and [continuing the verses] He said: لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَواضِعِهِ يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتيتُمْ هذا فَخُذُوهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُوا وَ مَنْ يُرِدِ اللهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللهِ شَيْئاً أُولئِكَ الَّذينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللهُ أَنْ يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيا خِزْيٌ وَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذابٌ عَظيمٌ... فَلَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْئاً [who have not come to you; they alter the words from their places, saying: "If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious." And whomever Allah wills to try, you will never possess anything for him against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not will to purify; for them in this world is disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment... they will never harm you at all]. Allah the Glorified placed the choice in the hands of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): if he wished to judge, he would judge between them, and if he wished, he would turn away from them. Then Allah the Exalted said: وَ إِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ إِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطينَ وَ كَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَ عِنْدَهُمُ التَّوْراةُ فِيها حُكْمُ اللهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذلِكَ وَ ما أُولئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْراةَ فِيها هُدىً وَ نُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذينَ هادُوا وَ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَ الْأَحْبارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوا مِنْ كِتابِ اللهِ وَ كانُوا عَلَيْهِ شُهَداءَ فَلا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَ اخْشَوْنِ وَ لا تَشْتَرُوا بِآياتي ثَمَناً قَليلاً وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْكافِرُونَ وَ كَتَبْنا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيها أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَ الْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَ الْأَنْفَ بِالْأَنْفِ وَ الْأُذُنَ بِالْأُذُنِ وَ السِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَ الْجُرُوحَ قِصاصٌ فَمَنْ تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَهُ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ وَ قَفَّيْنا عَلى آثارِهِمْ بِعيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقاً لِما بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْراةِ وَ آتَيْناهُ الْإِنْجيل [And if you judge, then judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. But how is it that they come to you for judgement while they have the Torah, in which is the ruling of Allah, then they turn away after that? Those are not believers. Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for those who were Jews, and so did the rabbis and the scholars, with what they were entrusted of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses over it. So do not fear the people, but fear Me; and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed — those are the disbelievers. And We ordained for them therein: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is retribution. But whoever gives it up as charity, it will be an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed — those are the wrongdoers. And We sent, following in their footsteps, Isa, the son of Maryam, confirming what came before him of the Torah, and We gave him the Injil]."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): My dear son, do not say what you do not know; indeed, do not say all that you do know. For Allah the Exalted has laid down duties and obligations upon each of your limbs — by which He will present His argument against you on the Day of Judgement, and about which He will question you. He has reminded those limbs, admonished them, warned them, disciplined them, and has not left them idle... And He has laid an obligation upon the heart, which is the commander of the limbs — through which you reason and understand, and by whose command and judgement you act. And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: not the one who is forced to declare disbelief while his heart is at peace with his faith. (Nahl/106) And Allah the Exalted said, concerning a people who declared faith with their tongues while their hearts had not believed: الَّذینَ قالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُم [Those who said with their mouths, "We believe," while their hearts did not believe]. And He said: hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. (Ra'd/28) And He said: whatever is in your hearts, whether you disclose it or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. (Baqarah/284)."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Faith, unbelief, polytheism, and their increase and decrease are as follows. Faith in Allah is the highest of deeds, holds the loftiest rank, no station is more honourable than it, and its share is the greatest of all. It was said: "O Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), is faith speech and action, or is it merely speech?" He said: "Faith is affirmation with the heart, acknowledgement with the tongue, and action with the limbs. Faith is entirely action. Faith is at times complete, at times only partially complete, at times deficient, and at times increased — such that this deficiency and increase is plainly seen. Allah the Exalted has appointed for each limb and organ of the human being a duty that is not shared with any other limb… As for what He has made obligatory upon the heart, it is faith, acknowledgement, recognition, conviction, contentment with what He has made obligatory upon it, submission to Allah's command, reflection and contemplation, remembrance of Allah, and obedience to what He has revealed and set out in the Qur'an; and one must apply those commands to the utmost of one's capacity. It is obligatory to hold in the heart every matter and subject of the religion, and to display them in one's action and conduct, except for those which there is no necessity to display. And Allah has said in the Qur'an: 'except one who is compelled while his heart is at peace with faith' (Nahl/106) — that is, one who was forced to make an outward show of unbelief while his heart was tranquil in its faith. Allah says in another verse: 'Allah will not call you to account for your vain oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned' (Baqarah/225). And in another place He said: الَّذِینَ قالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ [those who said with their mouths, 'We believe,' while their hearts did not believe]. And in another place He said: 'Behold, hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah' (Ra'd/28). And in a verse of the Qur'an He says: 'and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord, You have not created this in vain' (Al Imran/191). And in another place He said: 'Do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon their hearts?' (Muhammad/24). And in another place He said: 'For indeed it is not the eyes that go blind, but rather the hearts within the breasts that go blind' (Hajj/46). And the like of these verses is plentiful in the Qur'an, and the heart is the foundation of faith."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Amr al-Zubayri said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "O scholar, inform me... I said: 'Tell me, is faith speech alone, or speech and action together?'" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Faith is entirely action, and verbal expression is a part of faith, which Allah has explained in His Book; its light is clear and its proof is firm. The Book bears witness to it and draws one towards it." I said: "Define faith for me so that I may grasp it well." He said: "Faith has various states and degrees; they are not all in one state — they differ in rank and station. Some kinds of faith are complete and at the peak of perfection, some are in a state of deficiency, and some are in the middle." I said: "So faith is both at the peak of perfection, and also subject to deficiency, and also in a state of increase?" He said: "Yes." I said: "How is that?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Allah the Exalted made faith obligatory upon the limbs of the children of Adam and distributed it over the organs and appointed a specific share for each. He assigned each of the duties of humans to one of the limbs, and every organ has a particular obligation to which another organ is not bound... As for what He has made obligatory upon the heart of faith, it is belief, recognition, affirmation, conviction, contentment and submission — that one bear witness that Allah is One, and has no partner or equal, that He has neither a child nor a wife, and bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is the Messenger and envoy of Allah. Whatever Allah has revealed, of Book and Prophet, he affirms it and acknowledges it. These were what Allah has made obligatory upon the heart, and the heart must affirm them and have recognition of them. This is the meaning of the noble verse in which He said: 'Not [the one] who has been compelled to profess disbelief while his heart is at rest with his faith, but the one who opens his breast to disbelief.' (Nahl/106) In another place He said: إِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ 'Behold! by the remembrance of Allah, hearts find rest.' (Ra'd/28) And He also said: الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ [Those who said with their mouths, 'We believe,' while their hearts did not believe]. In another place He said: 'Whatever you have in your hearts, whether you disclose it or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills.' (Baqara/284). These were what Allah has made obligatory and binding upon the heart, and the heart must affirm them and have recognition of them. The action of the heart is the performance of these kinds of matters, and the foundation and very being of faith is in the heart."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): In the book al-Ihtijaj it is recorded in a lengthy narration: a man from among the disbelievers came to the presence of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) and put to him questions about verses of the Qur'an that were difficult for him, imagining that these verses contradicted one another. Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) answered him until at last he became a Muslim. Among the questions he asked was this — he said: in the Qur'an it is stated: "Whoever does righteous deeds while he is a believer, his effort will not be denied." (al-Anbiya/94), and: "Whoever repents and believes…" (Ta Ha/82). Now as for the word of the Truth, the Exalted: "Whoever does righteous deeds while he is a believer, his effort will not be denied." (al-Anbiya/94), and: "Whoever repents and believes and does righteous deeds and then walks the path of guidance — him I forgive." (Ta Ha/82). All of these, without being guided, meet no need; nor is it the case that everyone upon whom the name of iman (faith) falls is deserving of being saved from the ruinous pits of the misguided. Were that so, the Jews — with their own confession of tawhid (divine oneness) and their acknowledgement of the existence of Allah — would have been saved, and likewise all others who acknowledge the oneness of Allah, from Iblis down to those who followed him in disbelief, would all have been saved. Yet Allah has made this matter clear with His own word: "الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ یَلْبِسُوا إِیمانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولئِکَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَ هُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ [Those who believe and do not clothe their faith with shirk (associating partners with Allah), for them is security and they are the guided ones]." (al-An'am/82), and: "الَّذِینَ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ [Those who said with their mouths, 'We believe,' while their hearts did not believe]." Iman has states and stages the exposition of which would run long, and among them is that iman is at times of two aspects: iman of the heart and iman of the tongue — like the iman that the hypocrites had in the days of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): when the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) broke them with the sword and fear entered their hearts, they believed with their tongues while they had not believed with their hearts. Iman of the heart is submission to the Lord, and whoever submits matters to their Owner has not been arrogant before Him — as Iblis was too proud to prostrate to Adam (peace be upon him), and most of the nations were too proud to obey the prophets, so tawhid brought them no benefit, just as that long prostration did not benefit Iblis. He was the one who, in a single prostration, had fallen upon the earth for four thousand years, and from that prostration he intended nothing but the treasures of this world and a postponement in carrying out his duty. Hence only by being guided to the path of salvation and the road of truth do prayer and charity bring benefit. (al-Wilayah)

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir said: A man recited the verse: "And He has lavished upon you His blessings, both outward and inward" (Luqman/20) in the presence of Imam Baqir (peace be upon him). The Imam said: "The outward blessing is the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the knowledge of Allah and His Oneness that he brought. As for the inward blessing, it is the wilaya (guardianship) of us, the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and the covenant of love for us. By Allah! A group accepted this outward and inward blessing, and another group accepted only its outward aspect. Therefore Allah said: يَا أَیُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ یَحْزُنکَ الَّذِینَ یُسَارِعُونَ فِی الْکُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِینَ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ [O Messenger! Let not those grieve you who hasten in unbelief, from among those who say with their mouths, 'We believe', while their hearts do not believe]. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) became joyful when it was revealed; for Allah does not accept their faith except through wilaya and love of us."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him)- یا أَیُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لا یَحْزُنْکَ الَّذِینَ یُسارِعُونَ فِی الْکُفْرِ... یُحَرِّفُونَ الْکَلِمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَواضِعِهِ یَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِیتُمْ هذا فَخُذُوهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُوا [O Messenger! Let not those grieve you who hasten in unbelief... they alter the words from their places, saying: 'If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given it, beware'], means: in the case of adultery by a married person, they sent them and told them: "If Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) issues the ruling of flogging, accept it; and if he issues the ruling of stoning, do not accept it." Because they had altered the ruling of the hadd penalty which was in the Torah to forty lashes, blackening of the face, and being paraded on a donkey.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him)- Sulayman ibn Khalid said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: وَ مَنْ یُرِدِ الله فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَنْ تَمْلِکَ لَهُ مِنَ الله شَیْئاً أُولئِکَ الَّذینَ لَمْ یُرِدِ الله أَنْ یُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِی الدُّنْیا خِزْیٌ وَ لَهُمْ فِی الْآخِرَةِ عَذابٌ عَظیمٌ [And whomever Allah wills to try, you can never do anything for him against Allah. They are the ones whose hearts Allah does not will to purify; for them in this world is disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment]; whenever Allah wills good for a servant, He inspires a white mark upon his heart and makes the ear of his heart hearing, and He assigns an angel to hold him back from error; and whenever Allah wills evil for a servant, He inspires a black and dark mark upon his heart and makes the ear of his heart deaf, and He assigns Satan to lead him astray. Then he recited this verse: "Whomever Allah wills to guide, He expands his breast for [the acceptance of] Islam; and whomever, on account of his wrongful deeds, He wills to lead astray, He makes his breast so tight..." (An'am/125). And then this verse: "Indeed those against whom the word of your Lord has been fulfilled will not have faith." (Yunus/96). And then he recited this verse: أُوْلَئِکَ الَّذِینَ لَمْ یُرِدِ الله أَن یُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ... [Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not will to purify...].