سورة المائدة

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Ali (peace be upon him) that he said on the day of the Battle of Basra: By Allah, the people of this verse have not been fought until this day, and he recited this verse: يا أَیُّهَا الَّذینَ آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دینِهِ فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَ یُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنینَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَی الْکافِرینَ یُجاهِدُونَ فی سَبیلِ الله وَ لا یَخافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لائِمٍ ذلِکَ فَضْلُ الله یُؤْتیهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ الله واسِعٌ عَلیم [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah's grace, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): This verse was revealed concerning the people of Basra and those who fought against Ali (peace be upon him).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): They are Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (peace be upon him) and his companions, when he fought the groups of the Nakithin, the Qasitin and the Mariqin.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): A person narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): I asked him about this verse: فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَ یُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنینَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَی الْکافِرین [Then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers]. He said: That is, the "Mawali" (the supporters and helpers).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Indeed, the Shia of Ali (peace be upon him) is one whose voice does not go beyond his ear, and whose enmity does not go beyond his body; he does not praise one who hates us, does not associate with one who bears malice toward us, and does not sit with one who finds fault with us. The Shia of Ali (peace be upon him) is one who does not howl like a dog and is not greedy like a crow; he does not beg from people even if he dies of hunger. They live a modest and low-standard life, they have no fixed home or dwelling; if they are present in a gathering they are not recognised, and if they are absent they are not sought; if they fall ill they are not visited, and if they die no one attends their funeral; they visit one another in their graves. I said: "Where shall I seek such people with these qualities you have described?" He said: "In the far corners of the earth, in the markets [and streets], and this is the very saying of Allah the Exalted: أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَی الْکافِرِینَ [lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers]."

Imam Husayn (peace be upon him): In the letter of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) to Muawiya it is stated: "Are you not the same Muawiya who martyred Hujr ibn Adi along with those companions who were people of prayer and worship, opposed injustice and innovation, and in the way of Allah did not fear the censure of any censurer?!"

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Burayda narrates: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Allah the Mighty and Majestic has commanded me to love four persons." We asked: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), who are they? Name them for us." He said: "Ali (peace be upon him), Salman (may Allah have mercy on him), Abu Dharr (may Allah have mercy on him), Miqdad (may Allah have mercy on him). Allah told me to love them and informed me that He too loves them."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Burayda narrates: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Indeed Allah the Mighty and Majestic has commanded me to love four of my companions, and has informed me that Allah too loves them." We asked: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), who are they, for all of us long to be among those four persons." He said: "Ali (peace be upon him) is one of them," and then he fell silent. After a little while he said: "Ali (peace be upon him) is one of them, and Abu Dharr (may Allah have mercy on him), and Salman al-Farsi (may Allah have mercy on him), and Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi (may Allah have mercy on him)." (Al-Wilaya)

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): This matter is preserved for its master, so never turn to the right or to the left. This matter, by Allah, is clear. By Allah, if the people of the heavens and the earth gathered to move this matter from the place in which Allah has set it, they would not be able to do so; even if all people were to disbelieve in this matter, so that not one remained, Allah would bring for this matter a people who belong to it. Then he said: "Have you not heard the word of Allah who said: يَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُواْ مَن یَرْتَدَّ مِنکُمْ عن دِینِهِ فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَیُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ علَی الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَعزَّةٍ علَی الْکَافِرِینَ [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers], until he completed the verse, and in another verse said: فَإِنْ یَکْفُرْ بِها هؤُلاءِ فَقَدْ وَکَّلْنا بِها قَوْماً لَیْسُوا بِها بِکافِرِینَ [If these people do not believe in it, We have entrusted it to another people who do not deny it]. (Al-An'am/89)" Then he said: "The people of this verse are the same as the people of that verse."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): This verse was revealed regarding Ali (peace be upon him). یا أَیُّهَا الَّذینَ آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دینِهِ [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion] ...

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Askari (peace be upon him) from his father, who related and stated that Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) performed ziyarah with this ziyarah on the Day of Ghadir: When you wish to perform the ziyarah, stand at the door of the dome and say: ... Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) ... I bear witness that you have been singled out for the praise of Allah, and that you are sincere (mukhlis) in the obedience of Allah, and that you did not seek any substitute for guidance, and did not associate anyone with your Lord in worship, and [I bear witness] that Allah the Exalted answered the supplication of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) concerning you. Then He commanded him to make manifest to his ummah your excellence and wilayah ... Allah, before this, while the hypocrites were averse, revealed concerning you: يا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دِینِهِ فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَ یُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَی الْکافِرِینَ یُجاهِدُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ الله وَ لا یَخافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لائِمٍ ذلِکَ فَضْلُ الله یُؤْتِیهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ الله واسِعٌ عَلِیمٌ [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any censurer; this is Allah's grace, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): The word of Allah: ذلِکَ فَضْلُ الله یُؤْتِیهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ [This is Allah's grace, He gives it to whom He pleases] and the verse: "Do not desire the excellence which Allah has bestowed upon some of you over others!" (al-Nisa/32). These two verses were revealed concerning the Imams (peace be upon them).

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): یا أَیُّهَا الَّذینَ آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دینِهِ فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَ یُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنینَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَی الْکافِرینَ یُجاهِدُونَ فی سَبیلِ الله [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they shall strive hard in Allah's way]; this verse is an address to that group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) who usurped the right of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them) and turned back from the religion of Allah. فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی الله بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ وَیُحِبُّونَهُ [Then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall love Him] was revealed concerning Imam al-Zaman (may Allah hasten his noble relief) and his companions — those who strive hard in the way of Allah and do not fear the censure of any censurer.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): It was said to Imam Zayn al-Abidin: "Your grandfather used to say: 'Our brothers wronged us.'" He said: "Have you not read this verse in which He said: 'And to Aad [We sent] their brother Hud.' (al-Araf/65) His story is like theirs. Allah saved him and those with him, and destroyed the people of Aad with the barren wind. It is established that [the verse] یا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دِینِهِ ... [O you who believe! whoever from among you turns back from his religion...] was revealed concerning Imam Ali (peace be upon him). آمَنُوا مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دِینِهِ ..."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): It is narrated: The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) would mention Ali (peace be upon him) and say: He is the one who guides to the truth and acts by it, and forbids falsehood and eliminates it, and in the way of Allah the censure of any censurer does not deter him.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Humility and modesty are the root and foundation of every honour, goodness, abundant wealth and lofty rank. If humility had a tongue and language which people could understand, it would surely inform us of hidden realities and concealed secrets, and of the outcomes it brings. Humility is that which is for Allah and in the way of Allah; otherwise it is a deception, even if it appears in the form of humility. When humility is for Allah, Allah the Exalted grants him honour, greatness and nobility over many of His servants, and he becomes honoured and great in the sight of the people. And for the humble ones there are special marks by which the angels of the heavens and the people of gnosis on the earth recognize them. Allah the Exalted says: "وَ عَلَی الْأَعْرافِ رِجالٌ یَعْرِفُونَ کُلًّا بِسِیماهُمْ [And on the A'raf are men who recognize all by their marks]." (al-A'raf/46) And He has also said: "مَنْ یَرْتَدَّ مِنْکُمْ عَنْ دِینِهِ فَسَوْفَ یَأْتِی اللهُ بِقَوْمٍ یُحِبُّهُمْ [Whoever from among you turns back from his religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them]..."