They are the party of Allah; Unquestionably, the party of Allah.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْۚ
أُولَـٰئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُۖ
وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَارَضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
أُولَـٰئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّـهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّـهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

[سورة المجادلة]

{You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those – He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah – they are the successful}
[58:22 Al- Mujaadila]

In the saying of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) at the ayah’s beginning:

لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَنَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ

{You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred}

This is explained by ibn Kathir to mean do not befriend the deniers (al kuffar), even if they are among the closest relatives. As Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) said in the twenty-eighth ayah of Al-Imran:

لاَّ يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَىْءٍ إِلاَ أَن تَتَّقُواْ مِنْهُمْ تُقَـةً وَيُحَذِّرْكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ …

{Let not the believers take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself…}
[3:28 Al-Imran]

And in His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying in the twenty-fourth ayah of Al-Bara’ah (Al-Taubah):

قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَلٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِىَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الْفَـسِقِينَ

{Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah guides not the people who are the rebellious}
[9:24 Al-Taubah]

Sa`id bin `Abdul-`Aziz and others said regarding the following statements of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) from the twenty-second ayah of Al-Mujaadila:

لاَّ تَجِدُ قَوْماً يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ

{You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day…} was revealed in the case of Abu `Ubaydah `Amir bin `Abdullah bin Al-Jarrah (رضي الله عنه) when he killed his disbelieving father, during the battle of Badr. This is why when `Umar bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) placed the matter of Khilafah in the consultation of six men after him, he said; ‘If Abu `Ubaydah were alive, I would have appointed him the Khalifah.’ It was also said that the ayah:

وَلَوْ كَانُواْ ءَابَآءَهُمْ

{Even though they were their fathers} was revealed in the case of Abu `Ubaydah (رضي الله عنه), when he killed his father during the battle of Badr, while the ayah:

أَوْ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ

{Or their sons} was revealed in the case of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) when he intended to kill his (disbelieving) son, `Abdur-Rahman (رضي الله عنه), (during Badr), while the ayah:

أَوْ إِخْوَنَهُمْ

{Or their brothers} was revealed about the case of Mus`ab bin `Umayr (رضي الله عنه), who killed his brother, `Ubayd bin `Umayr, during Badr, and that the ayah:

أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ

{Or their kindred} was revealed about the case of `Umar (رضي الله عنه), who killed one of his relatives during Badr, and also that this ayah was revealed in the case of Hamzah, `Ali and Ubaydah bin Al-Harith (رضي الله عنهم). When they killed their close relatives: `Utbah, Shaybah and al-Walid bin `Utbah that day and Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) knows best.

A similar event regarding these ayat is when Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) consulted with his Sahabah (رضي الله عنهم) about what should be done with the captives of Badr. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) thought that they should accept ransom for them so the Muslims could use the money to strengthen themselves.

He mentioned the fact that the captured were the cousins and the kindred, and that they might embrace Islam later on, by Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) help. While `Umar al-Faruq (رضي الله عنه) said: ‘But I have a different opinion, Yah Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) ! Let me kill so-and-so, my relative, and let `Ali kill `Aqil (`Ali’s brother), and so-and-so kill so-and-so. Let us make it known to Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) that we have no mercy in our hearts for the Mushrikeen!’ These events were recorded by Imam Muslim on the authority of ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) who said:

When it was the day on which the Battle of Badr was fought, Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) cast a glance at the kuffar, and they were one thousand while his own Sahabah (رضي الله عنهم) were three hundred and nineteen. Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) turned towards the Qibla Then he stretched his hands and began his supplication to his Rab: ‘Yah Allah, accomplish for me what you have promised to me. Yah Allah, bring about what you have promised to me. Yah Allah, if this small band of Muslims is destroyed. You will not be worshipped on this earth’

He ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) continued his supplication to his Rab, stretching his hands, facing the Qibla, until his mantle slipped down from his shoulders. So Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) came to him, picked up his mantle and put it on his ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) shoulders. Then he embraced him ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) from behind and said: ‘Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ), this prayer of yours to your Rab will suffice you, and He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) will fulfill for you what He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has promised you.’

So Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed:

{ إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ }

{When you appealed to your Rab for help, He responded to your call: I will help you with one thousand angels coming in succession}
[8:9 Al-Anfal]

So Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) helped him ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) with angels. …The Muslims that day killed seventy persons and captured seventy. Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهم): ‘What is your opinion about these captives?’ Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: ‘They are our kith and kin. I think you should release them after getting from them a ransom. This will be a source of strength to us against the kuffar. It is quite possible that Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) may guide them to Islam.’

Then Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said: ‘What is your opinion ibn Khattab?’ He (‘Umar رضي الله عنه ) said: ‘Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) I do not hold the same opinion as Abu Bakr. I am of the opinion that you should hand them over to us so that we may cut off their heads. Hand over ‘Aqil (the brother of ‘Ali رضي الله عنه) to ‘Ali that he may cut off his head, and hand over such and such relative (of mine) to me that I may cut off his head. They are leaders of the disbelievers and veterans among them.’

Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) approved the opinion of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and did not approve what I said. The next day when I came to Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) I found that both he and Abu Bakr were sitting shedding tears. I said: ‘Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) why are you and your companion shedding tears? Tell me the reason; for I will weep at it, if not, I will force myself to weep in sympathy with you.’

Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) said: ‘I weep for what has happened to your companions for taking ransom. I was shown the torture to which they would have been subjected, it was brought to me as close as this tree.’ (He صلى الله عليه وسلم pointed to a tree close to him.) Then Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) revealed the verse:

{It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has made a great slaughter in the land…} to the end of the verse: {So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good…} So Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) made lawful the war booty.
[Sahih Muslim]

About those ayat of Surah Al-Anfal revealed in regards to the ransoming of the kuffar at Badr, wherein Allah (سبحانه وتعالى ) said:

{ مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الاٌّرْضِ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ – لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ – فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـلاً طَيِّباً وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ }

{It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has made a great slaughter in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise * Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took. * So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful}
[8:67-69 Al-Anfal]

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas (رضي الله عنه) said, ‘Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying:

«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»

‘Allah has made you prevail above them.’ `Umar bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) stood up and said, `Yah Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) ! Cut off their necks,’ but the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) turned away from him. Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) again asked:

«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِالْأَمْس»

‘O people! Allah has made you prevail over them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.’ `Umar (رضي الله عنه) again stood up and said, `Yah Rasulallah! ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) Cut off their necks.’ The Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) ignored him and asked the same question again and he repeated the same answer.

Then Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) stood up and said: `Yah Rasulallah! ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) I think you should pardon them and set them free in return for ransom.’ Thereupon the grief on the face of Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) vanished. He ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) pardoned them and accepted ransom for their release. Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed this verse:

{لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ }

{Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took}
[8:68 Al-Anfal]

Thus what Allah سبحانه وتعالى revealed was in agreement with the opinion of al-Faruq ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه).

When Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) says in the part of the twenty-second ayah of Al-Mujaadila:

أُوْلَـئِكَ كَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَـنَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ

{For such He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh from Himself} it means, those who have the quality of not befriending those who oppose Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) and His Messenger ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ), even if they are their fathers or brothers, and that they (those who show enmity and distance themselves from the kuffar and enemies of Islam) are those in whom Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has decreed Iman, meaning happiness, in their hearts and made Iman (Islam) dear to their hearts and happiness reside therein. As-Suddi said that the ayah:

كَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَـنَ

{He has written faith in their hearts} means, ‘He has placed Iman in their hearts.’ Ibn `Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said that:

وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ

{And strengthened them with Ruh from Himself} means, ‘He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) gave them strengths.’ Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) statement:

وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ

{And He will admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him} was explained several times before, like in Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying of them (رضي الله عنهم) in the one-hundredth ayah of Al-Taubah:

{ وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَـجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَـرِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ }
[سورة التوبة]

{And the first forerunners among the Muhajiroon and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct; Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment}
[9:100; Al-Taubah]

Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) has said regarding this ayah: {And the first forerunners} are those (رضي الله عنهم) who are foremost through their faith, and those who had prayed towards the two Qibla (of al-Maqdis and al-Haram) and fought at Badr.

And that His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying: {Among the Muhajiroon and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct} means those who fulfill the rights of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) by doing that which He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has made fardh upon them while staying away from that which He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has made haraam.

The statement of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) {Allah is pleased with them } is because of their (the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم ) goodness and is applicable until the Day of Judgment (because of His سبحانه وتعالى saying: {He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide forever} referring to al Jannah, and Allah سبحانه وتعالى knows best.)

And regarding His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying of them (رضي الله عنهم): {and they are pleased with Him} is owing to His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) reward and the honour He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) bestowed upon them (رضي الله عنهم) in His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying of them (رضي الله عنهم): {and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever} And that His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) statement: {That is the great attainment} means their (رضي الله عنهم) attaining Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) good pleasure and Paradise.

And When Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) mentions that He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) is pleased foremost with the Muhajiroon, Ansar (رضي الله عنهم) and those who followed them in faith, and that they are well pleased with Him ( سبحانه وتعالى ) , for He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has prepared for them the gardens of delight and eternal joy. Ash-Sha`bi said that:

{First forerunners among the Muhajiroon and the Ansar} are those (رضي الله عنهم) who conducted the pledge of Ar-Ridwan in the year of Hudaybiyyah. While Abu Musa al-Ash`ari, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, Muhammad bin Sirin, al-Hasan and Qatadah said that they are those who performed the prayer towards the two Qibla (al-Maqdis and al-Haram) with Rasulallah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and this latter opinion is in agreement with the saying of ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه).

And regarding the saying of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) in Al- Mujaadila when He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) says:

رِّضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ

{Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him} it contains a beautiful secret. When the believers became enraged against their relatives and kindred (while fighting) in Allah’s cause (Jihad Fi Sabilillah), He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) compensated (and rewarded) them by being pleased with them and making them pleased with Him ( سبحانه وتعالى ) from what He ( سبحانه وتعالى ) has granted them of eternal delight, ultimate victory and encompassing favor.

And Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) statement:

أُوْلَـئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

{They are the party of Allah. Verily, the party of Allah will be the successful} indicates that they are the party of Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ), meaning, His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) servants who are worthy of earning His ( سبحانه وتعالى ) honour. Allah’s ( سبحانه وتعالى ) statement:

أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

{Verily, the party of Allah will be the successful} asserts their success, happiness and triumph in this life and the Hereafter, in contrast to those, who are the party of Shaytan (ar-Rajeem Iblis) as explained in Allah ( سبحانه وتعالى ) saying:

أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَـنِ هُمُ الخَـسِرُونَ

{Verily, the party of Shaytaan will be the losers!}

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