Page 214 - An Index to the Qur'an

EXCESSIVENESS If Allah returns you to a group of them, and they
But Allah is mocking them, and drawing them ask you for permission to go out, say, ‘You will
on, as they wander blindly in their excessive in- never go out with me, nor will you ever fight an
solence. (2:15) enemy with me. You were happy to stay behind
He has only forbidden you carrion, blood and the first time, so stay behind with those who are
pork and what has been consecrated to other left behind.’ (9:83)
than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat The desert arabs came with their excuses asking
it–without desiring it or going to excess in for permission to stay, and those who lied to Allah
it–commits no crime. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, and His Messenger stayed behind. A painful pun-
Most Merciful. (2:173) ishment will afflict those among them who disbe-
People of the Book! Do not go to excess in your lieve. (9:90)
religion. Say nothing but the truth about Allah. Nothing is held against the weak and sick nor
The Messiah, ‘Isa son of Maryam, was only the against those who find nothing to spend, provided
Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He cast they are true to Allah and His Messenger–there is
into Maryam, and a Spirit from Him. So believe no way open against good-doers, Allah is Ever-
in Allah and His Messengers. Do not say, ‘Three.’ Forgiving, Most Merciful–nor is anything held
It is better that you stop. Allah is only One God. against those who, when they came to you for you
He is too Glorious to have a son! Everything in to provide them with mounts and you said, ‘I can-
the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him. not find anything on which to mount you,’ turned
Allah suffices as a Guardian. (4:171) away with their eyes overflowing with tears, over-
If Allah were to hasten evil for people the way come by grief at having nothing to give. (9:91-92)
they try to hasten good, their term would already There are only grounds against those who ask you
have been completed for them. We abandon for permission to stay when they are rich. They
those who do not expect to meet Us to wander were pleased to be among those who were left be-
blindly in their excessive insolence. (10:11) hind. Allah has sealed up their hearts so they do
If We did have mercy on them and removed the not know. (9:93)
harm afflicting them, they would still obstinately But others have acknowledged their wrong ac-
persist in wandering blindly in their excessive in- tions and mixed a right action with another which
solence. (23:75) is wrong. It may well be that Allah will turn to-
wards them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most
EXPEDITION TO TABUK Merciful. (9:102)
You who believe! What is the matter with you Allah has turned towards the Prophet, and the
that when you are told, ‘Go out and fight in the Migrants (Muhajirun) and the Supporters (Ansar),
way of Allah,’ you sink down heavily to the those who followed him at the ‘time of difficulty’,
earth? Are you happier with this world than the after the hearts of a group of them had almost de-
hereafter? Yet the enjoyment of this world is very viated. Then He turned towards them–He is All-
small compared to that of the hereafter. (9:38) Gentle, Most Merciful to them–and also towards
If you do not go out to fight, He will punish you the three who were left behind, so that when the
with a painful punishment and substitute another earth became narrow for them, for all its great
people in your place. You will not harm Him in breadth, and their own selves became constricted
any way. Allah has power over all things. (9:39) for them and they realised that there was no refuge
Those who were left behind were glad to stay be- from Allah except in Him, He turned to them so
hind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want that they might turn to Him. Allah is the Ever-
to strive with their wealth and themselves in the Returning, the Most Merciful. (9:117-118)
Way of Allah. They said, ‘Do not go out to fight
in the heat.’ Say: ‘The Fire of Hell is much hotter, EXPELLING
if they only understood.’ (9:81) When those who disbelieve were plotting against
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