'It is Ahmed, stunning on 'one chord to two bows' (qasida 19:10)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about our beloved prophet Mohammad [PPBUH].

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Calling of the Messenger [PPBUH]

[Those only are true believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and who, when they are with him on some matter of common importance, go not away until they have asked leave of him. Surely those who ask leave of you, it is they who really believe in Allah and His Messenger. So, when they ask your leave for some affair of theirs, give leave to those of them whom you please, and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful. Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another. Allah does know those of you who steal away covertly. So let those who go against His command beware lest a trial afflict them or a grievous punishment overtake them] Al Nur 33:62-63.

Verses refer to Allah Almighty’s love, appreciation, and caring for His Messenger [PPBUH], and that believers are commanded to show politeness with His Messenger [PPBUH]. Allah has shown us these manners in many verses; one of them is the one we are discussing today. Allah Almight has guided us, in this verse, to two main manners, the first manner is: the importance of asking permission from the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] before leaving his meeting. The second manner is: the need to take into account the strict respect when talking to the Messenger [PPBUH] or calling him. Further more, Allah Almighty warns those who violate the orders of his Messenger [PPBUH] by putting them under severe punishment in this world, and in the hereafter when He Almighty said [a trial afflict them or a grievous punishment overtake them].

Starting with a brief explanation of those two verses 62-63, taken from the different interpretations of the Imam scholars, then we will give you their details. They say that when the believers gather with the Messenger [PPBUH] on some common matter, they can not go away until they have asked his permission, so they won’t cause any hardship to his heart feelings. Examples of those meetings are as on Friday prayers, feasts, or wars…etc. Hypocrites used to leave the meetings unnoticed, without permission. Their leaving intentionally would be underrating the Messenger [PPBUH], and no doubt, this would be a disbelief. Allah has given the choice to the Messenger [PPBUH] to give his permission for leave to whom he chooses. Al-Dahhak and Moqatel said that the verse specifically meant Omar ibn al-Khattab [AAH], when he had to leave during the battle of Tabuk to go back to his family. The Messenger [PPBUH] excused him and told him (You may go, I swear by Allah that you are not a hypocrite) letting those hypocrites listen to his talk with Omar. And when the hypocrites heard the Messenger’s talk, they argued: Why does Mohammad give permission only to his companions, but not to us. By Allah, we do not see him to be fair.

Ibn Abaas said too that Omar has once asked for the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH]’s permission to do Omrah [reduced untimed pilgrimage], and the Prophet [PPBUH] excused him and said (O Aba-Hafs, do not forget us in your good prayers). Allah is supporting his Messenger in his actions and confirming that those who do not comply with his orders are not believers.

The part that says [ask forgiveness for them of Allah] informs believers that asking for permission to leave happens only when there is a real necessity for it. As Qatadah noted, this verse voided the rule in the verse that says [Why did you grant them leave] at-Tawbah 9:43. So Allah granted him [PPBUH] this right to give permissions. The verse also confirms the trust of Allah in His Messenger [PPBUH], as He Almighty delegated him, in matters of the religion to judge with his own opinion, which Allah assured several times that it does not come from subjectivity.

The part that says [Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another] refers to the necessity and the urge to respond to the words of the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH], and not to take it lightly, as it these words are commands that should be obeyed and Allah is warning those who oppose them. This meaning is supported by the rest of the verse that says [So let those who go against His command beware]. Sa'id ibn Jobair said also that the verse means: Don’t call the Messenger by his name as you call one another, but you must say [O, Messenger of Allah], or, [O, Prophet of Allah]. Abdullah ibn Abbas, the bishop of this nation, said that it means: Don’t raise your voice when calling the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH]. Which is also the meaning of the other verse that says [Surely those who lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger] al-Hujurat 49:3. Another meaning is that: You must beware not to make him angry, as Allah accepts his prayers directly not like you.

As for the part of [So let those who go against His command beware]: it means that violating the Messenger’s commands and deviating from his Sunna, result in two things. The first one is the [trial ] which is the punishment during the worldly life. Ibn Abbas said that it is the killing. The second thing is the [grievous punishment] which is the punishment of the hereafter. We say that the strict respect towards the Messenger [PPBUH] did not end by his death; rather, it is a continuous action. So believers should not raise their voices when visiting the garden of his shrine, and must ask his permission before leaving it.

Al-Koshairy adds that being a follower is conditioned by becoming in complete agreement with who you follow; otherwise followers would end up divided into parties. And since (scholars are the inheritors of prophets), therefore, seekers to their sheikhs are like nations to their prophets. Seekers are conditioned not to even breath but with the permission of their sheikhs. Otherwise, they will face unpleased outcomes, and will not be rewarded with the honesty. So whoever deviates from this rule, should be quick to apologize and confessing whatever he has done of deviation and betrayal, so his sheikh will guide him to the penance of his sins.

Now to some individual interpretations of the Imams:

Interpretation of Imam ar-Razy

He said that there are many things to be considered in the first verse:

The first consideration: The mentioned [matter of common importance] is that matter which requires the expertise and opinions of some of them. For example: coming up with a decision that may cause harm or benefits, or the decision to go to war. [When they are with him on some matter of common importance], firstly, [of common importance] also refers to the fact that: the process of making an important decision requires the consultation and opinions of several experts, and the absence of any of those experts in this case would cause hardship to the Messenger [PPBUH]'s heart feelings. It also means the gathering during occasions when they should be gathered together for the speech, as on Fridays or Eid. Thirdly, gathering for war.

The second consideration: Al-Kalby said: The Messenger [PPBUH] used to censure the hypocrites in his Friday sermon, so these hypocrites used to look around and slip away and without praying, but if they found that someone saw them, then they would stay in place and pray in fear. When this verse was revealed, the true believers would not leave the meetings, even for peeing, without permission while hypocrites would leave without permission, then they were distinguished.

The third consideration: Al-Jaba’y said: This seeking of permission is an act of belief. So their belief will not be complete unless they seek this permission. This will also include all acts of obeying Allah’s commands and staying away from acts prohibited by Him. And that hypocrites' leaving  without permission is underrating and no doubt, it is a disbelief.

There are many considerations for the verse [Surely those who ask leave of you] upto [Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.]

The first consideration: [Those who ask leave of you] assures that believers glorify and respect the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH]. [It is they who really believe in Allah and His Messenger] means work out of faith and go with its obligations. Ar-Razy also told the story of Al-Dahhak, Moqatel, and Ibn Abbas about the permissions given to Omar ibn al-Khattab [AAH] that we mentioned above. [Ask forgiveness for them of Allah] refers to two distinct aspects: Firstly: that the Messenger [PPBUH] may ask forgiveness for them in case they ask him [PPBUH] to leave his meeting, because they should have not asked to leave in the first place, even if he [PPBUH] gave them permission. Secondly: it is that Allah Almighty told him [PPBUH] to ask forgiveness for them as a reword for their adherence to the ethics of Allah as to getting permission.

The second consideration: Qatadah explained: this verse voided the rule in the verse that says [Why did you grant them leave] at-Tawbah 9:43.

The third consideration: The verse indicates that Allah Almighty has delegated the Messenger [PPBUH], in matters of the religion to judge with his own opinion.

As for the part of [Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another]; it means: Don’t make the commands and the summons of the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] to you as it would be from one of you to another, as his commands and summons [PPBUH] are a must. Also do not call him [PPBUH] by his name as you would with one another. Also, do not raise your voice when speaking with him [PPBUH]. And you must beware not to make him angry, as Allah accepts his prayers directly not like you.

[Allah does know those of you who steal away covertly] refers to those hypocrites who slip away little by little and infiltrate the groups during Friday speech. And while companions ask for permission to leave they would sneakily follow them to leave without being authorized themselves. Mokatel said: Hypocrites felt that the speech of the Messenger [PPBUH] was a burden that they had to find a way to skip it by following the excused companions out without being excused, themselves. Mujahid said: They would slip away from the rows during battles. Ibn Qutaybah said: That was during the digging of the trench. Also that they would slip away from anything related to the Messenger [PPBUH].

[So let those who go against His command beware lest a trial afflict them or a grievous punishment overtake them]. There is more than one explanation for it: Al-Akhfash said: It refers to those who violates his [PPBUH] orders. Others said: It refers to those people that are reluctant to the Prophet [PPBUH]'s Sunnah and orders. It also refers to violator. Some people said that the verse here means the violators of the commands of Allah as well as those of the Messenger [PPBUH].

Ar-Razy also said that it indicates that the Prophet [PPBUH]'s orders are obligatory. And the cause for this rule is the part of the verse that talked about those who violate the commands of the Messenger [PPBUH] are warned to be punished, either during life or in the afterlife. And the reason for mentioning both destinies is that a violator may die without being punished in his life and his punishment would be postponed until he dies. And in definition of calamity, Al-Hassan said: [trial] is the uncovering of their hypocrisy. Ibn Abbas said: It is their killing. They also said the catastrophes and earthquakes. Jafar ibn Mohamed said: It is to be ruled by an unfair ruler.

Interpretation of Imam al-Tabary

[Those only are true believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and who, when they are with him on some matter of common importance, go not away until they have asked leave of him....] Allah Almighty said that true believers are only those who believed in Allah and his Messenger [PPBUH]. The common matter here is the situation that gathers them around the Messenger [PPBUH]. e.g. war, prayer, or certain concern. And they would not leave until they ask for the Messenger’s permission in all cases. Al-Tabary also mentioned what the people of Interpretation said about the verse:

Ibn-Abaas explained: If the gathering was for a command of Allah or of obeying Allah. Ibn-Gorayeh said: I once heard Makhoul saying when he was asked about this verse that it means to be with the Messenger on Fridays, war, and all other meetings. People were ordered to not leave during Friday speech unless excused by Imam.

Al-Hassan said: If a man needed to go during Friday speech, he had to grab his nose until Imam pointed out for him to leave. Al-Hassan also said: Once, a man wanted to go back to his family, so he grabbed his nose until Imam, who was Haram ibn Hayyan, pointed him out. And when he came back, Haram asked him: Where have you been?, the man said: With my family! Haram said: But have you been excused? The man said: Yes indeed, I grabbed my nose until you pointed me out. Haram said: Did use this as a trick. Then he said: O, Allah, please postpone the bad men until the bad era comes. Al-Zohry and Ibn Zaid also said that: the [matter of common importance] refers to attending Friday sermon with the Messenger [PPBUH] or the gathering war. In these cases a man should ask permission of the Imam if can see him and is able to ask him, otherwise Allah is the one to excuse him.

Mujahid said that [Treat not the calling of the Messenger among you like the calling of one of you to another] means: Allah is commanding the companions of his Messenger [PPBUH] to be filled with humility and kindness when calling him [PPBUH] saying [O, Messenger of Allah]. Qatadah said: He ordered them to glorify and exalt him [PPBUH].

Edited by Samer el-Lail   

Translated by Shayma Basyouni

Whoever wants to get more about this subject, can seek it in the website of Al-Nabi [PPBUH]

the Editorial Team