اِنْ يَّمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهٗ وَتِلْكَ الْاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَـعْلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ (140) وَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَيَمْحَقَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ (141)
Quran Ayah Data not found….for Surah:3, Ayah:140 and Translation:24
Quran Surah:3 Ayah:140-141
“If a wound has befallen you a similar wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you. We make such movements to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth): for Allah does not love the wrong-doers. And makes men go through trials in order that He might purge the believers and blot out those who deny the Truth.”
Explanation:
The verses mentioned above were revealed after the Battle of Uhud took place and aim at discussing about the end result of the same battle. Discussing about this battle is necessary because apparently after facing defeat when the Muslims got victory, they seemed to be in an awkward situation. Due to facing defeat, they were naturally much distressed – so to speak – they were despaired. It was in this background that many a substantial facts were brought home to them through it.
The first fact is that they, by no means, needed to lose their hearts as also never expected from a true believer, rather it amounts to disbelief as proved through the verse:
اِنْ يَّمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهٗ
It aims at clarifying that it should make no difference if they had been inflicted with a problem in the Battle of Uhud, since their opponents were also subject to deal with the same problem in the Battle of Badr, but despite of it, they became engaged in the preparation of fighting against them with a new spirit and zeal. Then, what is the reason that they (believers) lost their hearts; rather they should have displayed more courage and be busy in preparation for the next battle. In a sense, it indicates that it was with view to give a solace to the believers and boost their courage.
The second fact brought to Muslims is that the circumstances are not supposed to be the same always. Says Allah, the Almighty:
وَتِلْكَ الْاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُھَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ
“We make such movements to men.”
The history does witness that if today one is rich, he turns to be poor the other day and vice versa. If one overcomes others today, he is fated to be overcome by them the other day and vice versa. If one gets victory today, he is destined to face defeat at others hands the other day and vice versa. In fact, how beautifully a renowned poet, Dagh Dehlawi has put this fact in Urdu:
فلک دیتا ہے جن کو عیش ان کو غم بھی دیتا ہے
جہاں بجتےہیں نقارے وہاں ماتم بھی ہوتا ہے
Thus, it is but the way of Allah, the Almighty to change the circumstances of people based on different motives. It is for this reason that the believers should not lose their hearts despite facing the same situation; rather they require being mindful of self-introspection.
In order to understand the fact how Allah, the Almighty change the circumstances among people, we must consider the following events: Taking for instance, there was a time when the brothers of Hazrat Yusuf (A.S.) hatched a conspiracy to kill him, and, according to them, the even did so to some extent, but a time arrived when they had to beg for generosity and forgiveness from him when he came in power.
Similarly, it was a time when the people of Makkah forced the companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to leave it and intended to kill him. But, just a couple of years later, by the virtue of Allah, they entered Makkah triumphantly while the ones who ones who once exiled them resolved to put them to death, expected forgiveness from them.
It was a time when the Brahman fellows of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar did not allow him to sit beside them in the class room; rather forced him to have the last bench. They even did not let him use the very glass they drank water with. The reason for it was their contempt for the ailment of untouchability. But, fortunately, a time came when he was appointed as the president of the committee of the Indian Constitution, as a result, all those who belonged to noble and high castes, became his subordinates and never got tired to call him ‘The Great Soul’.
On this point, it should be clear that Allah, the Almighty has infinite power to do anything He wishes. He can show His power in whatever way and whenever He wills. To take for instance, though Pharaoh claimed to be the Greatest Lord saying ‘انا ربکم الاعلیٰ’, mere a wave of storm was enough to make him an example of destruction for the rest of the entire universe.
Once, when the chieftains of Quraish tribe like Aswad bin Abi Zam’ah, Aswad bin Abde Yaqub, Waleed bin Mughairah, A’as bin Abi Wail and Harith bin Qais bin Talalah, who never let any chance go by to ridicule the Holy Prophet ﷺ and even he felt very hurt and harassed, at last, Allah, the Almighty assured him to suffice for him saying: ‘انا كفيناك المستهزئين’ it was thereafter, as history witnesses that all of them died a death of disgrace. It is recorded in the book of ‘Dalailul Nubuwwah lil Baihaqui’ (vol: 2, Page: 216-218) that all of them died having inflicted with fatal deceases just in this mortal world. It so happened that Waleed bin Mughairah died due to an injury caused by a spear in his foot. As for Harith, his stomach was filled with water to such extent that the filth began to come out of his mouth and caused his death. As regard to Aa’s, he had some injury by something similar to a thorn and it also caused his death. Once, when Aswad bin Zam’ah was resting under a tree, suddenly he began to cry and call out his son to save him as he had great pain in his eye due to an injury made by a thorn. It was due to it that he turned to be blind. In the same way, Aswad bin Yaqub developed some blotch in his head and caused his death having inflicted with its pain.
The third fact bought home to us through this verse is that there is much wisdom in the fact that Allah, the Almighty turns time among people. The first and foremost wisdom is that ‘وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا’ “so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith.”
The second wisdom is وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَاۗءَ “and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth).” The actual words of this verse can be interpreted in two ways. One meaning could be that God wanted to select some of them so that He could bestow upon them the honour of martyrdom. The second meaning could be that out of the hotch-potch of true believers and hypocrites which their community consisted of at that moment, God wanted to sift those who were truly His witnesses over all mankind.
In order to evaluate the importance of martyrdom it is enough that even the most God-fearing people like Hazrat Umar Faruque, Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (R.T.A.) and Salahuddeen Ayyubi cherished a dream to be honoured with martyrdom but left for their heavenly abode without it.
The third wisdom is وَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا “He might purge the believers.” Meaning, He wants to remove some of the shortcomings and weak points of the believers through creating such type of situation. The whole situation was turned when the Muslims demonstrated their negligence in obedience to the injunction of their Prophet ﷺ on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud.
The fourth wisdom is وَيَمْحَقَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ “and blot out those who deny the Truth.” Because Allah never likes disbelief as it amounts to not believe in Him – so to speak – to pronounce one’s greatness having rejected Allah’s Greatness or sharing any other partner with Him in it. It is for this reason that whenever any nation is proud of itself, Allah, the Almighty wipes it out from the surface of this earth as also substantiated through the record of past history that they were destroyed for the very reason as says the Holy Qura’n: ” استکبار فی الارض “As for the people of Hazrat Nooh (A.S.), it says: “واستکبروااستکبارا” With regard to the nation of A’ad it is said: فَاَمَّا عَادٌ فَاسْـتَكْبَرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ(حم السجدۃ: 14) “As for `Ad, they showed arrogance in the land with no right (to do so)” The Holy Qura’n explicitly made the mention of Pharaoh and his nation in the words:
ثُمَّ اَرْسَلْنَا مُوْسٰى وَاَخَاهُ هٰرُوْنَ بِاٰيٰتِنَا وَسُلْطٰنٍ مُّبِيْنٍ (45) اِلٰى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَا۟ئِه فَاسْتَكْبَرُوْا وَكَانُوْا قَوْمًا عٰلِيْنَ (46) فَقَالُـوْۤا اَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَـنَا عٰبِدُوْنَ (47) فَكَذَّبُوْهُمَا فَكَانُوْا مِنَ الْمُهْلَـكِيْنَ (48)
Quran Ayah Data not found….for Surah:23, Ayah:45 and Translation:24
Quran Surah:23 Ayah:45-48
“Thereafter, We sent Musa and his brother Harun, with Our signs and a clear proof towards Fir’aun (the Pharaoh) and his advisors. But they showed arrogance and they were haughty people. So they said, “shall we believe in two humans who are like ourselves and whose people are serving us as slaves?” Thus they belied both of them and were among the destroyed.”
Now, after a believer comes to know these facts and wisdoms, it becomes his responsibility not to allow himself be disheartened even in the gravest and dangerous situations; rather place his full trust in Allah. There is really a great lesson in these verses of the Holy Qura’n even for those who talk out of disappointment in this indescribable and serious condition particularly for those distinguished people who appear to be despaired when seen from the view of universal and state level condition of the believers. They must give their minds to these verses. Haven’t they come across a verse in the Holy Qura’n: اَلَيْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِيْبٍ “Is it not that the morning is near?”