Surah 4 (An-Nisâ), Verses 43-59 (Y6)

As-salaam wa-alaikum, brothers and sisters.

Summary

Today’s episode of 17 Verses is from Surah 4, An-Nisâ or the Women, Verses 43-59. These verses start off with the second recorded prohibition against drinking alcohol, then move to a discussion of the People of the Book (Jews, Christians). It invites the People of the Book to Islam, while reminding them that those who make false idols will not be forgiven. Lastly, it talks about the forces of Shaitan and his allies and the fates of the unbelievers and believers.

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Verses

Bis-millahi ar-rahman, ar-raheem.
In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.

O believers! Do not offer Salah (prayer) when you are drunk until you are able to understand what you are saying; nor if you are in a state of ceremonial impurity, except when you are travelling, unless you wash your whole body. If you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you has used the toilet, or has had contact with women (sexual relation with wives) and can find no water, then make tayammum: take some clean earth and rub your faces and hands with it. Allah is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.[43] 4:[43]

Have you not considered the case of those to whom a portion of the Book was given? They purchased error for themselves and wish to see you lose the Right Way.[44] Allah knows your enemies very well. Sufficient is Allah to protect you, and Sufficient is Allah to help you.[45] Among the Jews there are some who take the words out of their context and utter them with a twist of their tongues to slander the true Deen (faith) and say: “We hear and we disobey;” and “Hear, may you (O Muhammad) hear nothing!” And Râ‘inâ (an ambiguous word meaning: “listen, may you become deaf,” or “our shepherd,” or “in judeo-Arabic language conveying the sense of “our evil one”). If only they had said: “We hear and we obey;” and “Hear us;” and Unzurnâ (“look upon us,” or ” pay attention to us”): it would have been better for them and more proper. Due to all this Allah has cursed them for their unbelief. In fact, with the exception of a few, they have no faith.[46] 4:[44-46]

O people of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (The Qur’an), confirming your own scriptures, before We obliterate your faces and turn them backward, or lay Our curse on you as We laid Our curse on the Sabbath-breakers: and remember that Allah’s command is always executed.[47] Surely, Allah does not forgive shirk (associating any partner with Him); and may forgive sins other than that if He so pleases. This is because one who associates any partner with Him with Allah, does indeed invent a great sinful lie.[48] Have you not seen those who speak very highly of their own purity even though they are associating any partner with Him. In fact, Allah purifies whom He wishes, and never will they fail to receive justice in the least little thing.[49] See how they invent a lie against Allah, and this in itself is enough to show their manifest sin.[50] 4:[47-50]

Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Book? They believe in superstition and Tâghoot (forces of Shaitân) and say about the unbelievers that they are better guided to the Right Way than the believers![51] Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed, and the one who is cursed by Allah can find no helper.[52] Do they have a share in the kingdom? If they had any share they would have not given other people equal to a speck on a date-stone.[53] Or do they envy other people because Allah has given them from His grace? If so, let them know that We did give the Book and Wisdom to the descendants of Ibrâheem (Abraham), and blessed them with a great kingdom.[54] But some of them believed in it and some turned away. Sufficient is hell to burn those who turned away.[55] 4:[51-55]

Those who rejected Our revelations will soon be thrown into the Fire. No sooner will their skins be burnt off than We shall replace their skins, so that they may taste the real torment. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise.[56] As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, We shall admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow wherein they will live for ever. Therein, they will have chaste spouses, and We shall provide them with cool thick shade.[57] 4:[56-57]

Allah commands you to give back the trusts to their rightful owners, and when you judge between people, judge with fairness. Surely, excellent is the counsel which Allah gives you. Indeed, Allah is ever All-Hearing, All-Seeing.[58] O believers! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you. Should you have a dispute in anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. This course of action will be better and more suitable.[59] 4:[58-59]

Ameen.

This concludes today’s episode of the 17 Verses Podcast. I hope that this selection has helped increase your understanding of the holy Qur’an just a little bit.

Thank you and be well.