"Surely, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger are cursed by Allah in this world and the Hereafter, and He has prepared for them a humiliating punishment." (3:57)

Mentioned in the verse cited above is the pain that was caused to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) intentionally by the disbelievers and hypocrites. It is for this reason that Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi (rahmatullaahi 'alaih) has parenthetically added the word: (qasdan: intentionally) at this place in his abridged summary which includes many a physical pain caused to him at the hands of disbelievers on different occasions as well as the emotional ones that were caused to him in the form of taunts and insults and false accusations against his blessed wives. The cited verses also gives a warning of Divine curse and punishment to those who cause such pains to him by intention.

Although, in the beginning of the verse, warning is given to those who cause pain to Allah (Surely, those who cause pain to Allah... 33:57), while Allah Ta'ala is beyond any effect or impression, and no one can cause pain to Him in real terms, yet the deeds that usually cause pain to others have been referred to as 'causing pain to Allah.'

Leading authorities of Tafsir, however, differ in defining the acts that are termed here as 'causing pain to Allah'. Some of them have maintained that these are the words and deeds about which it has been specifically declared in the spoken ahadith of the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that they cause pain to Allah Ta'ala. For example, it is mentioned in a Hadith that those who curse the 'time' cause pain to Allah.The background of this Hadith is that the people in the days of ignorance used to blame the 'time' for all sorts of accidents and sufferings, because they believed that the 'time' is the real cause of all happenings in this world. Therefore whenever they faced a suffering, they used to curse and hurl abuses to the 'time', while in fact the real doer of all acts is none but Allah Ta'ala, and in this context their curse and abuses would turn to Him. It is therefore mentioned in the of Divine curse and punishment Hadith that this behavior causes pain to Allah Ta'ala. Moreover, as it appears in Hadith narrations, making pictures of living creatures cause pain to Allah Ta'ala. the expression of 'causing pain to Allah' would be referring to these very words and deeds.

And other authorities of Tafsir said that the real purpose at this place is to warn against causing pain to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). But, it has been termed in the verse as causing pain to Allah Ta'ala, because causing pain to the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is tantamount to causing pain to Allah Ta'ala Himself. This interpretation is supported by the context of the Qur'an, because it is the subject of causing pain to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that was mentioned in the text earlier and the same subject is repeated again in the forthcoming words. And that the pain caused to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) turns out to be pain for Allah Ta'ala stands proved from the narration of Sayyidna 'Abdur-Rahman Ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani (radiallaahu 'anh) given below:

The Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "Fear Allah, fear Allah in the matter of my Companions. Do not make them the target of your objections and criticisms because whoever loves them loves them because of his love for me, and whoever dislikes them dislikes them because of his disliking against me, and whoever caused pain to them has definitely caused pain to me and whoever caused pain to me has definitely caused pain to Allah, and whoever caused pain to Allah, it is likely that he will be seized by Him." (Tirmidhi)

Just as this Hadith tells us that the pain inflicted on the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) causes pain to Allah Ta'ala, very similarly, it also tells us that inflicting pain on any of the noble Companions or being audacious enough as to speak ill of them becomes pain caused to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).

There are several narrations relating to the background in which this verse was revealed. According to some of these, it was revealed about the false accusation made against Sayyidah 'A'ishah (radiallaahu 'anha). For example, a narration from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas (radiallaahu 'anhuma) says: When false accusation was made against Ummul Mu'mineen Sayyidah 'A'ishah (radiallaahu 'anha), some people gathered at the home of the hypocrite, 'Abdullah Ibn 'Ubayy and indulged in the conspiracy of giving currency to this false accusation. At that time, the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) complained before his noble Companions saying that the man was causing pain to him - (Mazhari).

According to some other narrations, this verse was revealed when some hypocrites had thrown taunts at the time of the marriage of Sayyidah Safiyyah (radiallaahu 'anha. However, the the fact of the matter is that this verse has been revealed concerning each such case which caused pain to the Holy Prophet (radiallaahu 'anha). Thus, included here is the false accusation made against Sayyidah 'A'ishah (radiallaahu 'anha), the taunts thrown by the hypocrites on the occasion of the marriages of Sayyidah Safiyyah and Zainab (R.A) as well as calling other noble Companions bad, passing ill remarks against them or maligning them in any other way, public or private (tabarra).

Causing Pain to the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in Any Form or Manner is Kufr (Infidelity)

A person who inflicts any pain on the Holy Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), (such as slandering, cursing and abusing his Noble Companions and pure Wives radiallaahu anhum), or suggests any fault in his person or attributes, whether expressly or in an implied manner, becomes a kafir - and according to this verse (57), the curse of Allah Ta'ala will be upon him in this world as well as in the Hereafter. (As stated by Qadi Thana'ullah in at-Tafsir al-Mazhari).

From the above, the position of the Shia becomes clear!

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 12th December 2011

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