سورة التوبة

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about this word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَی مِنَ الْمؤْمِنِینَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ [Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their persons and their property that theirs shall be the Garden; they fight in the way of Allah, so they slay and are slain] .... He said: "That is in the covenant."

Imam Hadi (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him) that he said: His father (peace be upon him) on the Day of Eid al-Ghadir visited [Imam Ali (peace be upon him)] with these words: ... I bear witness that you are the Commander of the Faithful; the very truth by whose wilayah the Quran spoke, and the Messenger took the covenant upon the ummah for you. And I bear witness that you, your uncle and your brother are those who traded with Allah with your own souls, and Allah revealed concerning you: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ الْمؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقًّا فِی التَّوْراةِ وَ الْإِنْجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بایَعْتُمْ بِهِ وَ ذلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ* التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاکِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّاهُونَ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ وَ الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their persons and their property that theirs shall be the Garden; they fight in the way of Allah, so they slay and are slain; a promise binding on Him, true, in the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement. Those who turn in repentance, those who worship, those who praise, those who journey, those who bow down, those who prostrate, those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who guard the limits of Allah; and give glad tidings to the believers].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ المُؤْمِنینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ [Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their souls and their wealth for the price that they shall have Paradise]; it was revealed concerning the Imams (peace be upon them).

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ الْمؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ [Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their souls and their wealth for the price that they shall have Paradise] — this verse was revealed concerning the Imams (peace be upon them), and the proof that it was revealed exclusively concerning them is that He praises them (the believers) and rewards them and describes them with qualities that are not permissible with regard to anyone else. For He said: التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاکِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّاهُونَ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ وَ الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Those who turn (to Allah), those who worship, those who praise, those who fast, those who bow, those who prostrate, those who enjoin the good and forbid the wrong, and those who preserve the limits of Allah — and give glad tidings to the believers].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): In the book al-Manaqib it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) recited the verse: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری [Indeed Allah has purchased]…, then said: 'O Ali! You are the first of this Ummah to believe in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and the first to migrate to Allah and His Messenger, and the last to keep the covenant you made with His Messenger. By the One in whose hand is my soul! None loves you except a believer whose heart Allah has purified for faith, and none hates you except a hypocrite or a disbeliever.'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): By means of jihad Allah has purchased from the believers their souls and their wealth for Paradise — a trade that brings success and triumph, in which Allah has stipulated upon them the preservation of His limits. The first of that is to call the people from obedience to servants to the obedience of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and from the worship of servants to the worship of Allah, and from the wilayah of servants to the wilayah of Allah.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibn Amr Zubayri said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'Tell me about calling toward Allah and jihad in His way.' ... He said: Then He informed [us] that He has bought the souls of these believers and those who have qualities similar to their qualities: أَنفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقّاً فِی التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الإِنجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ [their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Tawrat and the Injil and the Quran]. Then He mentioned their faithfulness to His covenant, pledge, and allegiance with Him, and said: وَ مَنْ أَوْفَی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بَایَعْتُم بِهِ وَ ذَلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ [and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement]. When this verse was revealed: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ به أنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ [Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden], a man stood up before the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What do you say about a man who takes up his sword and fights until he is killed, but he has committed some sins — is he a martyr?' So Allah the Mighty and Majestic revealed this verse to His Messenger: التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاکِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّاهُونَ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ وَ الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Those who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers] [if he repents, he will be counted a martyr].

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says: 'Abbad Basri met Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) on the road to Makkah and said to him: "O Ali ibn Husayn! You have abandoned jihad and its hardship and turned to Hajj and its ease. Indeed, Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: انَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَی مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ انفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُم [Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property] ..." Ali ibn Husayn (peace be upon him) said: "Complete the verse!" And then he said: التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ ... الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Those who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him) ... and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers]; if we see people who possess such qualities (find them), then jihad along with them is better than Hajj.'

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Abu Hamza said: A man said to Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) [mockingly]: "You have turned to performing Hajj and abandoned jihad. You have found Hajj easier for yourself [than jihad], while Allah says: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ [Indeed Allah has bought from the believers their souls and their wealth]." Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said: "Read the verse that follows as well." He read: التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاکِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّاهُونَ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ وَ الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Those who repent, those who worship, those who praise, those who journey, those who bow, those who prostrate, those who enjoin good and forbid evil, and those who keep the limits of Allah; and give glad tidings to the believers]. Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) said: "If these [conditions] become manifest, we will not prefer anything over jihad."

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): In the book of Abu al-Qasim Qulawayh it is narrated that one of our companions said: We were with Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) ... On the day that Zayd was born, the companions gave him the good news after the morning prayer. ... He said: "Bring the Quran." As soon as they brought the Quran, he placed it on his lap and opened it, and at the top of the page was this: وَ فَضَّلَ اللهُ الْمُجاهِدِینَ عَلَی الْقاعِدِینَ أَجْراً عَظِیماً [And Allah has preferred the strivers over those who sit back with a great reward] (an-Nisa/95). He closed it, then opened it a second time, and at the top of the page was this verse: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقًّا فِی التَّوْراةِ وَ الْإِنْجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بایَعْتُمْ بِهِ وَ ذلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ [Indeed Allah has bought from the believers their souls and their wealth in exchange for Paradise being theirs; they fight in the way of Allah, so they slay and are slain — a true promise binding upon Him in the Torah, the Injil and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in the pledge you have made with Him, and that is the mighty triumph]. He said: "By Allah! This is Zayd. By Allah! It is Zayd," and he named him Zayd.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): In the book Mustadrak al-Wasa'il it is narrated that Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about the words of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقًّا فِی التَّوْراةِ وَ الْإِنْجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بایَعْتُمْ بِهِ وَ ذلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ [Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Tawrat and the Injil and the Qur'an; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement], and whether this matter applies to all who engage in jihad in the way of Allah, or is restricted to a particular group. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'When this verse was revealed, some of the companions asked the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) about this, but he did not answer them. So Allah the Exalted revealed upon the heart of the Prophet: التَّائِبُونَ الْعابِدُونَ الْحامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاکِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّاهُونَ عَنِ المُنْکَرِ وَ الْحافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللهِ وَ بَشِّرِ المُؤْمِنِینَ [Those who turn (to Allah), who worship (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers]. In this way He described the qualities of the believers from whom He purchases their wealth and their lives in exchange for granting them Paradise. So whoever desires Paradise, let him engage in jihad in the way of Allah according to these conditions; and if he does not fulfil these conditions, he will be among those about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Allah will grant victory to this religion through people who have no share of reward in the Hereafter.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Amr al-Zubayri said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Tell me about calling to Allah and jihad in His way — is it restricted to a particular people, so that this act is permitted only for them and no one can undertake it unless he is one of them, or is it permitted for everyone who declares Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, to be One and has believed in His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), so that whoever is like that may call to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and to obedience to Him, and may perform jihad in His way?" He said: "This is permitted only for a particular people, and no one can undertake it unless he is one of them." I said: "Who are they?" He said: "Whoever fulfils the conditions Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has laid down for fighting and jihad upon the warriors — he is the one permitted to call to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. And whoever does not fulfil the conditions Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has laid down for jihad upon the warriors — jihad and calling to Allah are not permitted for him, unless he makes ready in himself the conditions Allah has set for jihad." I said: "Explain it to me, may Allah have mercy on you." He said: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in His Book, commanded His Prophet to call people to Allah, and described those who call to Him, and set for those who call ranks that identify one another and indicate one another. And Allah also informed [us] that Allah the Blessed and Exalted was the first to call to Himself and to summon [people] to obedience to Him and to following His commands." ... Then He mentioned those to whom He gave permission, after Him and after His Messenger, to call to Him, in His Book, and said: 'Let there be from you a community calling to good, enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong, and those are the successful ones.' (Al Imran/104). Then He set out the marks of this community and from whom they are — that this community is of the offspring of Ibrahim and the lineage of Ismail (peace be upon them), that is, from the dwellers of the Haram, and never worshipped anyone other than Allah, and the call — meaning the call of Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) — has become obligatory upon them, they being of the people of the Masjid; those about whom He spoke in His Book and made clear that He has removed impurity and filth from them and thoroughly purified them; those whom we described in the description of the community of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and to whom Allah the Blessed and Exalted alluded in His saying, 'Say: This is my way; I call to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me.' (Yusuf/108) — meaning the first of those who followed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in believing in him and confirming what he brought from Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, from a community that, before creation, was raised up in him, from him and to him; those who never associated any partner with Allah and did not cover their faith with wrongdoing, which is shirk. Then He mentioned the followers of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the followers of this community — followers whom He described in His Book with enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and made them callers to Him, and gave them permission to call to Him. Then He said: 'O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you [rely only on them]!' (Anfal/64). Then He described the followers of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) who are believers, where Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said: 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are hard against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves; you see them bowing, prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] good pleasure; their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. Such is their description in the Taurat and their description in the Injil.' (Fath/29). And He said: 'On the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him; their light will run before them and on their right, and they will say: Our Lord! Complete for us our light.' (Tahrim/8) — meaning those believers. And He said: 'The believers have succeeded.' (Muminun/1). Then He described them so that no one would aspire to reach them unless he were one of them. Among the qualities by which He praised and described them is this: 'Those who are humble in their prayers, and those who turn away from vain talk ... [Yes], those are the inheritors! [Inheritors] who will inherit the highest Paradise, dwelling therein forever.' (Muminun/1–11). And likewise, concerning their qualities and noble traits, He said: 'And those who do not call upon another god along with Allah, and do not kill a soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, and do not commit fornication — and whoever does that will meet a severe penalty; the punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated!' (Furqan/68–69). Then He informed [us] that He has bought the souls of these believers and those who have qualities similar to their qualities: أَنفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقّاً فِی التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الإِنجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ [their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the Garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain — a promise binding on Him in the Taurat, the Injil and the Quran]. Then He mentioned their faithfulness to His covenant and pledge, and said: وَ مَنْ أَوْفَی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بَایَعْتُم بِهِ وَ ذَلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ [And who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in the pledge which you have made, and that is the mighty achievement]. When the verse: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَی مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ [Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the Garden] was revealed, a man said to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): "O Prophet of Allah! A man who takes up his sword and fights until he is slain, but has committed some sins — is he a martyr?" So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed to His Prophet this verse: 'Those who repent, those who worship, those who praise, those who journey, those who bow, those who prostrate, those who enjoin the right, those who forbid the wrong, and those who guard the limits [and boundaries] of Allah — [they are the true believers]; and give good news to [such] believers!' (Tawba/112). The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) interpreted the believing warriors who are adorned with the description and ornament of martyrdom [who carry these qualities with them] thus, and said: those who repent from sins; those who worship, who worship none but Allah and set up no partner with Him; الْحامِدُونَ, those who praise, who praise Allah in every state, in hardship and in ease; those who journey — they are the ones who fast; those who bow and prostrate — they are the ones who observe the five prayers on time, and guard the prayer in its bowing and its prostration, in its humility and at its times. After that, they enjoin the right and act upon it, and forbid the wrong and themselves do not commit it." Then he said: "Whoever is killed while upholding these conditions — give him good news of martyrdom and Paradise."

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari said: ... My master Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) raised his hands until they were level with his face and said: '... O Lord! Help me to wage jihad in Your way against Your enemy, together with Your wali, as You said — O Allah whose word is mighty: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَری مِنَ المُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ یُقاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ [Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way]; and You said — O Allah whose names are mighty: We shall certainly test all of you until We know the true mujahids and the patient ones among you, and We test your reports! (Muhammad 47:31). O Allah, then show me that path so that in it I may fight with my soul and my wealth seeking Your good pleasure, and be among the successful.'

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says: Whenever the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) intended to go into battle, he would utter these supplications: "O Allah! Indeed You have made known a path from among Your paths, and placed Your good pleasure in it, and urged Your friends toward it, and made it, in our estimation, the noblest of paths in respect of reward, and with You the most honoured of them in respect of arrival, and the most beloved of them in respect of treading and travelling. Then in this matter You bought from the believers their persons and their wealth, that [in return] Paradise should be theirs [in this way, that:] یُقاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ [they fight in the way of Allah, so they slay and are slain], and this is a promise binding upon You and fulfilled. So place me among those whose persons You have bought in this path, and who have kept faith with You in this transaction that has taken place and with what has been sold, without deviating from the path, or breaking the covenant, or altering it by any change, but rather seeking from You the fulfilment of Your promise, and seeking to draw Your love, and desiring nearness to Your presence. So send blessings upon Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his household, and make this the seal of my deeds and my works, and grant me as sustenance, in Your path and for Your sake, a martyrdom by which You make Your good pleasure incumbent upon me, and through which You cast away my sins, and by which You enter me among the living who are sustained [with You]. And let this martyrdom be at the hands of Your rebellious enemies and beneath the banner of truth and the banner of guidance, so that I may advance forward to aid the people of truth, not turning my back in battle, nor letting any doubt or hesitation arise in me; and I take refuge in You at that time from a sin that would destroy [good] deeds and works."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): The most virtuous of the people of Paradise are those who were martyred in the world. They gave their lives and their wealth so that [in return] Paradise would be theirs, [in this way that:] they fight in the way of Allah, they slay and are slain — this is a true promise binding upon Him. What is with Allah is better than the world and what is in it. Being martyred is easier than dying. Whoever has martyrdom decreed for him will go forth to his place [of death], and whoever is not killed will surely die.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah said: I did not want to ask Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about raj'ah (the return) directly, so I devised a subtle question in order to reach my goal through it. I said: 'May I be your ransom! Is one who has been killed [the same as one who has] died?' He said: 'No — death is death, and being killed is being killed.' I said to him: 'But everyone who is killed also dies!' He said: 'O Zurarah! The word of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is more truthful than your word. For He has distinguished between them in the Qur'an. He said: أَفَإِنْ ماتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ [Then if he dies or is killed] (Al Imran 3:144). And He said: لَئِنْ مُتُّمْ أَوْ قُتِلْتُمْ لَإِلَی اللهِ تُحْشَرُونَ [If you die or are killed, to Allah you shall be gathered] (Al Imran 3:158). [Therefore, you do not perish, that you should dread perishing.] It is not as you have said, O Zurarah! Death is different from being killed, and Allah has said: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَی مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ فَیَقْتُلُونَ وَ یُقْتَلُونَ وَعْداً عَلَیْهِ حَقًّا فِی التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِیلِ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ مَنْ أَوْفَی بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِبَیْعِکُمُ الَّذِی بَایَعْتُمْ بِهِ وَ ذَلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ [Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties for that Paradise shall be theirs; they fight in the way of Allah, so they kill and are killed — a true promise binding upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in the transaction you have made, and that is the mighty achievement].' I said to him: 'Indeed, Allah says: کُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ [Every soul shall taste death] (Al Imran 3:185). In your view, does not one who is killed also taste death?' He said: 'One who is killed by the sword is not like one who dies on his bed. Indeed, one who is killed must return to the world so that he may taste death.'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abd al-Rahman al-Qasir said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) recited this verse: إِنَّ اللهَ اشْتَرَی مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ [Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties]. Then he said: 'Do you know whom He means?' I said: 'The believers fight, and they slay and are slain.' He said: 'No — rather, those of the believers who are killed will be brought back until they die, and those who die will be brought back until they are killed. This is [His] power, so do not deny it.'