the lectures of Nokounam, may Allah sanctify his secret (Session 1614)
Surah Al-Anfal, one of the Medinan chapters of the Holy Qur'an, centres upon social, political, and ethical issues, addressing themes such as Al-Anfal (spoils of war), Wilayah (guardianship), war, peace, and supplication. This Surah, akin to a profound ocean, encompasses deep meanings whereby each of its verses, like a wave, offers lessons guiding the Islamic community towards equity and justice. In this treatise, relying on verses 1, 57, 6162, and 73 of Surah Al-Anfal, the concepts of Al-Anfal, the Guardianship of the Jurist, war and peace strategies, prevention of sedition and corruption, and the status of supplication as an existential phenomenon are examined. The objective is to present a comprehensive and clear exegesis that preserves the spirit and original message, employing eloquent language and a coherent structure to provide a pathway for thought and practice within the Islamic society.
Al-Anfal, as treasures beyond the scope of Khums (the religious tax), are defined in the Holy Qur'an as properties entrusted to Allah and His Messenger. These possessions, like a river flowing from a divine source, are employed for the administration of the Islamic community and the realisation of social justice.
They ask you about the spoils of war. Say, The spoils are for Allah and the Messenger; so fear Allah and amend that which is between you.
(Qur'an, Surah Al-Anfal, 8:1)
Al-Anfal, the plural of Nafilah meaning abundance and surplus, refers to assets that transcend the scope of Khums. Just as Nafila in prayer denotes a voluntary supererogatory act beyond the obligatory, so too Al-Anfal encompasses properties beyond war booty and Khums, placed under the authority of the legitimate custodian. These properties include dead lands, coastal areas (Seif al-Bihar), mountains, reed beds, deserts, and public properties acquired without combat by the Muslims. Such possessions are regarded as a divine capital for the collective benefit of the Islamic society.
The administration of Al-Anfal during the occultation is assigned to the jurist who meets all qualifications (al-Adl wa al-Mujtahid). However, this delegation raises several questions: Can the jurist unilaterally manage Al-Anfal? Is permission from the governing authority or leader necessary? What if two jurists disagree over the disposition of Al-Anfal? These questions, like branches of the tree of Wilayah, demand meticulous examination in the science of jurisprudence. For instance, if a mine is discovered in the Islamic community, is the jurist permitted to exploit it without governmental sanction, or must the ruling systemwhich itself is under the supervision of a just juristgrant approval?
Wilayah of the jurist, like a steadfast pillar, confers legal authority to the just jurist to dispose of public properties. However, if multiple jurists involve themselves in these affairs, conflicts may arise. For example, if one jurist permits extraction from a mine while another obstructs it, which opinion prevails? Hence, the necessity for a fair and organised system to harmonise the relations between jurists and the governing authority becomes manifest to prevent chaos.
In the absence of an Islamic government, if a jurist possessing the qualifications of Ijtihad and Justice permits action regarding Al-Anfal, is this permission sufficient? The jurists legal authority is rooted in his Ijtihad and justice, but if conflicts emerge between jurists or between a jurist and the government, an equitable system, like a robust bridge, must resolve such disputes. This reveals the complexities inherent in the domain of Wilayah, necessitating both social and legal order to preserve societal harmony.
War in Islam is neither an adventure nor a simplistic matter. The Holy Qur'an delineates comprehensive war strategies aimed at preventing corruption and fighting those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger.
So when you have subdued them in battle, disperse those behind them, that they may take heed.
(Qur'an, Surah Al-Anfal, 8:57)
This verse, like a blazing torch, emphasises the necessity of firmness on the battlefield to disperse the supporters of the enemy and thereby terminate corruption on earth. Islamic jurisprudence, contrary to views confined to personal matters, must address the macro-management of society. War, equated with waging war against Allah and His Messenger, requires strategies that not only achieve military victory but also prevent societal corruption.
Islam, whilst inviting peace, underscores vigilance against the enemy. Verses 61 and 62 of Surah Al-Anfal elegantly portray this approach:
And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.
(Qur'an, Surah Al-Anfal, 8:61)
And if they intend to deceive you - then sufficient for you is Allah. It is He who supported you with His help and with the believers.
(Qur'an, Surah Al-Anfal, 8:62)
These verses, like a calming breeze, invite acceptance of peace if the enemy inclines to it, yet simultaneously emphasise reliance on Allah and alertness against deception. Even if the enemy seeks to betray, reliance on Allah and the solidarity of the believers serve as a firm shield preserving the Islamic society. This approach prevents recklessness in war and navet in peace.
War and peace in the Holy Qur'an are two facets of the same coin, aimed at safeguarding the Islamic community from corruption and sedition. Severity in war serves to disperse enemies and prevent waging war against Allah, whereas peacefulness with reliance upon Allah and vigilance paves the way for unity and tranquillity. Religious knowledge must, with a macro-perspective, employ these strategies in societal management.
Verse 73 of Surah Al-Anfal acts as a wakeful admonition, stressing the necessity for the unity of believers against disbelievers:
And those who disbelieve are allies of one another. Unless you do so, there will be fitnah (sedition) on earth and great corruption.
(Qur'an, Surah Al-Anfal, 8:73)
This verse contrasts the coalition of disbelievers with the fragmentation of believers, warning that if the believers do not achieve loyalty and unity, immense sedition and corruption will envelop the earth. The great corruption is like a fierce storm, resulting from the indifference and weakness of the believers towards social responsibilities. If the Islamic society, like a mighty tree, does not firmly root itself in unity and rightful demands, a corrupt minority may dominate it.
Religious knowledge, like a torch in darkness, must transcend individual concerns and address the macro-management of society. Restricting religious knowledge to minor issues is like clipping the wings of a high-flying eagle, hindering the fulfilment of Islams lofty objectives. Religious knowledge must, through the formulation of macro-systems, prevent sedition and corruption and guide society towards equity and justice.
For example, if the Islamic society remains silent in the face of social issues and refrains from rightful demands, it is like a farmer who abandons his land to nature; weeds of corruption will overrun the land. Collective action, just demand, and the unity of believers, like clear water, cleanse the soil of society from corruption.
Verse 73 of Surah Al-Anfal highlights the imperative of unity and social responsibility. Religious knowledge, with a macro-perspective, must prevent sedition and corruption and reinforce unity and rightful demands to steer the Islamic community towards justice and order. The indifference of believers acts like a dark shadow, ushering in corruption and sedition.
Supplication is like a mirror reflecting the existential poverty of man before the divine plenitude; it is a natural and ontological phenomenon. The act of asking originates from an innate human capacity, and divine response represents the goal and ultimate destination. The Holy Qur'an views supplication not merely as an external verbal expression but as the language of inner potential and the human existential need.
Asking arises from human need, similar to thirsty travellers in a parched desert searching for water. However, such asking must be bima yakoon reasonable and possible rather than bima la yakoon irrational and impossible. For instance, requesting a sack full of gold, akin to a wingless bird, lies beyond human true potential and thus is not considered genuine supplication.
The relationship between asking and response is like two balanced scales that lose meaning without each other. Asking without response resembles a fruitless tree, and response without asking is like water poured without demand. The Holy Qur'an emphasises that every reasonable supplication entails a response, though this response may manifest within an appropriate timeframe, possibly extending until the hereafter.
For example, if a person supplicates during financial hardship, the divine response might appear as future relief or inner tranquillity. This is comparable to a seed sown in the soil that bears fruit at the right time. Asking reveals human potential, and response constitutes divine reply to this potential.
Supplication, like a bridge connecting human poverty to divine abundance, is an innate and existential reality. Reasonable asking, grounded in human capacity, results in divine response, albeit possibly delayed. Religious knowledge must educate society about this principle and guide it towards reasonable and capacity-based supplication.
Surah Al-Anfal, like a radiant torch, illuminates the methods for managing the Islamic community through the concepts of Al-Anfal, Wilayah, war, peace, and supplication. Al-Anfal, as public assets, are under divine guardianship and during the occultation entrusted to the just jurist, necessitating systemic arrangements to prevent conflicts. War, with firm action to prevent corruption, and peace, with reliance upon Allah and vigilance, represent two macro-strategies for preserving the Islamic community. The unity of believers prevents great sedition and corruption, and religious knowledge must adopt a macro-perspective to reinforce this unity. Supplication, as an existential phenomenon, results in divine response when based on reasonable asking and guides society towards divine plenitude. These concepts, like celestial stars in the firmament of Shariah, illuminate the path towards justice and equity in the Islamic society.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
