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Surat Al Imran Ayat 159 In Arabic

Surat Al Imran Ayat 159  Transliteration

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Fabimaa rahmatim minal laahi linta lahum wa law kunta fazzan ghaleezal qalbi lanfaddoo min hawlika fa’afu ‘anhum wastaghfir lahum wa shaawirhum fil amri fa izaa ‘azamta fatawakkal ‘alal laah; innallaaha yuhibbul mutawak kileen

Surat Al Imran Ayat 159  Translation

It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them ( O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust (in Him).

Surat Al Imran Ayat 159  Explanation

Even though, the mistake made by Muslims and the abandonment of the battle front by them had caused grief to the Holy Prophet, he did not reproach them for this because of his high morals and his natural way of forgiving and forgetting. He did not even deal with them sternly as may have been in order. But, Allah Almighty willed to see that the Companions (رض) of His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) are comforted and the sense of shock and shame they had for their mistake is washed away. So, in this verse, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is being asked to deal with them more gently and affectionately and consult with them in matters of concern.

The traits of a patron

The Companions (رض) of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) loved him far beyond the concerns of their own lives and belongings. When they made a mistake acting against his express instructions, there were two dangers. Firstly, it could further increase their sense of shock and affect their normal emotional-rational response. They could even lose hope of mercy, especially when they realized what mistake they had made and how disobedient they had been to the command of their leader. This danger was already eliminated in the previous verse where ‘We awarded you sorrow for sorrow’ means that the return of this mistake has already been given right here in this mortal world and the account in the Hereafter lies clean.

Secondly, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was hurt as a result of this mistake, physically. The spiritual discomfort was already there. It was likely that these two factors may contribute to making the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)  unhappy with his Companions which, in turn, may become a hindrance in his mission to teach and train them. In order to counter this likelihood, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was asked to forgo their mistake, forgive their shortcoming from the depth of his heart and deal with them gently and affectionately in the future as well.

The subject has been taken up with unusual delicacy of style in the Holy Qur’an which, as a corollary, covers some important points of guidance.

1. The diction used to convey the related command to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is eloquently suggestive of his personal praise, as well as that of his unique human majesty, that is, he has these attrib¬utes in him already built in.
2. The addition of فَبِمَا رَ‌حْمَة (So, it was through mercy from Allah) before the statement is there to affirm that the presence of such attrib¬utes of perfection in his person is but through Divine mercy. This is no personal perfection in its own right. Then, by placing the word, رَ‌حْمَة ‘rahmah’ (mercy) in an indefinite form, hint has been made towards the great and extensive spread of Allah’s mercy which, in turn, makes it very obvious that this mercy is not restricted to the noble Compan-ions only, but extends in full to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself for Allah has made him identified with such perfect attributes.
3. The third point made here establishes that the presence of the qualities of gentle manners, good morals, forgiveness and generosity in him serve a purpose. Had these been not there in him, the mission of educating human beings with which he is charged would have never been accomplished as desired. Rather than seek to correct and raise the level of their morals in his company, people would have run away from him.

The Etiquette of دعوہ Da’wah:

By combining elements cited above, there emerges a set of distinct qualities necessary for preaching, no matter what form it takes. Anyone who embarks on the mission of inviting people to Allah, explaining His guidance and calling people towards the right conduct in their best interest, must first inculcate these qualities in him. The reason is obvious. When a possible ‘rough’ or ‘hard-hearted’ approach, even if it happens to come from the very dear Messenger of Allah Almighty, has not been considered fit, who else can dare to gather people created by Allah around him with hostility and negative morals and still hope to seek a change in their behaviour.

In this verse, Allah Almighty has said: ‘Had you been rough and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.’ This indicates that harshness, in conduct or language, is sheer poison for a da’wah worker or a leader conveying Allah’s message to people. This is a sure way to undo what one intends to achieve.

Then, the verse says: ‘So, pardon them’. This indicates that a da’wah worker or reformer of people should never punish them for their mistakes. Instead, he should forgive and forgo. It is important that he does not get excited or angry when his listeners speak ill of him. The truth is that he should rise higher and treat his tormentors with compassion and leniency.

Soon, after that, the verse says: ‘And seek forgiveness for them’. This seeking of forgiveness for them from Allah Almighty points out to an unusual rule of behaviour. Not only that he should remain patient in what is painful, the Messenger is being asked not to forget seeking their good with utmost sincerity. The best that can be wished for them is their salvation in the life-to-come, the good that waits for them in Akhirah. So, the Messenger is being asked to pray for their forgiveness in order that Allah spares them from His punishment.

Finally, it has been said: وَشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ :’And consult them in the matter’ which means that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is to seek their advice in matters of concern so that they are fully satisfied and emotionally at peace, as the Messenger of Allah, by following this instruction, will be giving an external form to his intention of doing what is good for them. Thus, the act of his asking them to sit in consul¬tations with him will become an act of mollifying grace.

After having asked the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to consult with his Companions (رض) ، the verse concludes with the instruction on final decision-making. As regards consultation, the Holy Qur’an has given clear injunctions at two places. The first one appears right here in the verse under commentation while the second one appears in a verse of Surah al-Shura (42:38) where one of the qualities of true Muslims has been identified وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ , ‘ (Every matter of theirs is settled by mutual consultation). There are places where the instruction to consult appears secondarily, for instance, under injunctions relating to suck-ling in Sarah al-Baqarah (2:233) where it is said: عَن تَرَ‌اضٍ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍ‌ (Now, if they want to wean, by mutual consent, and consultation, there is no sin on them). The matter of consultation involves some important problems and rulings, therefore, it needs to be explained in some detail which follows.

1.     The Meaning of أَمْر : Matter and شُورَ‌ى: Consultation.

The word اَمَر amr is applied for several shades of meaning in the Arabic language. In common usage, it refers to any saying or doing which is of great importance. It is also used to mean an injunction, order, command, rule or authority, the last one being what is meant in the Qur’anic expression اُولی المر ‘ (uli l’amr). Then, the word is also applied to mean a particular attribute of Allah Almighty which finds mention in several verses of the Holy Qur’an, such as: أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ‌ (Beware, for Him alone is the creation and the command – 7:54); إِلَيْهِ يُرْ‌جَعُ الْأَمْرُ‌ كُلُّهُ (To Him the whole matter shall be returned – 11:123), إِنَّ الْأَمْرَ‌ كُلَّهُ لِلَّـهِ (The whole thing belongs to Allah – 3:154); أَمْرُ‌هُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ (His matter is upto Allah – 2:275) and according to authentic scholars, the use of the word, amr, in قُلِ الرُّ‌وحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ‌ رَ‌بِّي (Say: The spirit is by a command of my Lord’ ) (17:85) carries the same meaning as identified in the verses appearing immediately above.

As far as the meaning of the word امر amr, in the Qur’anic verses: وشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ (And consult them in the matter -3:159) and وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ (And a matter of theirs is (settled) by a consultation between themselves -42:38) is concerned, it can be said that there is the possibility to assign both the first as well as the second. If it is said that the word has been used here in the first sense while the second meaning is inclusive therein, that would not be something far-fetched since affairs relating to command and authority are all very important. Therefore, the word, امر amr as used in the verses quoted immediately above means every matter or affair which is particularly important irrespective of whether it belongs to the area of authority or mutual dealings.

The Arabic words, شُورَ‌ىٰ shura (counsel), مشورہ mashwarah (consultation) and مشاورت Mushawarat (mutual consultation) mean the soliciting of advice and counsel in something that needs deliberation. Therefore, the expres¬sion وشَاوِرْ‌هُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ‌ in the present verse means that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has been commanded here to consult with or seek the advice of his noble Companions in matters that need deliberation, which include those of authority and government.

Similarly, the verse from Surah a1-Shura cited above – – means that in every important matter (which) needs deliberation, whether it belongs to the field of authority and government or to some-thing important other than these, the customary practice of true Muslims is that they work through mutual consultation.

2.     The Status of Consultation in Islamic Law

From the statements of the Holy Qur’an cited above and from related ahadith of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) ، it becomes clear that mutual consultation in a matter likely to have more than one opinion, whether it be related to the concerns of authority or to an issue other than that, is a sunnah of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the noble Companions (رض) and is a source of blessings in the mortal world and in the eternal life of the Hereafter. This view has the support of the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith. As far as matters which relate to people, such as the affairs of authority and government, are concerned seeking consultation in them is obligatory. (Ibn Kathir)

In his Shu` bul-‘Iman, al-Baihaqi (رح) has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Umar (رض) that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has said: ‘A person who intends to do something, then goes in consultation and comes up with a decision to do or not to do that, he gets from Allah Almighty guidance towards an option which is correct and beneficial.’

It appears in ahadith: ‘When your rulers are from the best among you and your rich people are generous and your affairs are decided through mutual consultation, then, to live on the surface of the earth is better for you. And should your rulers be the worst among you and your rich people be close-fisted and your affairs be entrusted to women, then, to be buried under the earth shall be better than your continuing to live.’

It means that, when the worship of desires overpowers you, so much so that you, ignoring all concerns of the good and the bad, the harmful and the beneficial, simply to seek the goodwill of a woman, entrust your affairs in her hands, then, for you, death is better than living through those times. Otherwise, seeking the opinion of a woman as well while making consultations is no taboo, and certainly not prohibited. This is proved by the consistent practice of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and his blessed Companions (رض) . In the verse from Sarah al-Baqarah (2:233) cited a little earlier, the Holy Qur’an has said: ‘Now, if they want to wean, by mutual consent, and consultation, there is no sin on them.’ Since this matter here concerns the woman, there-fore, consultation with the woman has been specially made binding on the man.

In a hadith, the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم has been reported to have said: المستشار مؤتمن اذا استشیرفلیشرہ بما ھو صانع لنفسه :’The person whose counsel is sought is a trustee. When he counsels, then, he must counsel with what he would propose to his ownself (to do otherwise is a breach of trust) ‘. This hadith has been reported with good authority from Sayy¬idna ` Ali (رض) by al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat (see a1-Mazhari).

At this point, it is necessary to bear in mind that consultation is an act of Sunnah only in situations where some clear and categorical injunction from the Qur’an or Hadith does not exist. Otherwise, in the presence of a clear and categorical injunction of the Shari’ah, no consultation with anybody is needed. This is not permissible either. For example, if somebody went about consulting in – ‘should I make my salah or should I not?’ ‘Should I pay my zakah or should I not?’ or ‘Should I perform my Hajj or should I not?’ – then, this would be absurd. These are not things you consult about. They are absolutely mandatory under the Shari’ah of Islam. However, the option of making consultation about how to go for Hajj is open and one can seek advice on questions like – should he go this year, or next; should he go by sea, or by air; should he go by land, or by some other method.

The same holds true about zakah. One can consult about where and on whom it has to be spent, for the Shari’ ah has left these on the choice of the payer.

In a hadith, the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم has been reported to have explained this himself. Sayyidna ` Ali  رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ says that he asked the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) : ‘If, after you, we are confronted by a situation the injunction for which has not been explicitly revealed in the Qur’an, and about which we have heard nothing from you as well, what are we supposed to do?’ The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘For a matter like this, get together from among you pious men who are consistently devoted to the worship of their Lord and who have deep and extensive understanding of the Faith (fuqaha’ ) and decide the matter following their mutual counsel. Do not decide on the basis of someone’s solitary opinion.’

The first, out of the two things that we learn from this hadith is that consultation is not restricted to worldly affairs. Instead, the fact is that mutual consultation in situations where clear نصوص nu’ sus (plural of نص nass meaning textual authority) from the Qur’an and Hadith in matters governed by the injunctions of Shari’ ah do not exist is an act of Sunnah. We can say that mutual consultation will be an act of Sunnah if made in situations where textual authority from the Qur’an and Sunnah is not available. The second rule we learn is that advice should be taken from people who are known for their understanding of the’ Faith and devotion to their obligations to Allah (Ruh al-Ma` ani) Al Khatib al-Baghdadi, to whom the deduction given above is credited, has reported another hadith from Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (رض) which says: استرشدوا العاقل ولا تعصوہ فتندموا (Seek counsel from the wise person and do not act against it, otherwise you will regret.).

By putting the above two ahadith together, we learn that two quali¬ties are necessary for the members of the consultative council. Firstly, they should be wise, perceptive and advice-worthy, and secondly, they should be pious and devoted to ` ibadah. In other words, they should be deserving of giving advice and should be God-fearing in their conduct. If the matter to be discussed involves problems relating to Islamic Law, it is incumbent that they be faqih (juriconsult: expert in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence) as well.

Consultation of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with his Companions

The verse under discussion here orders the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to consult his Companions (رض) . This raises a certain difficulty here. Isn’ t it that he is the Messenger of Allah and the blessed recipient of revelation? Why, then, should he need to consult anyone? Since, every-thing can come to his knowledge through the medium of revelation from Allah Almighty, some scholars interpret this command to consult by saying that the Messenger of Allah was neither in need to be coun¬selled, nor anything he did depended on such counsel. The command to consult given to him is simply to honour the blessed Companions and mollify their broken hearts. But, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas (رح) does not agree with this view.

According to him this is not correct, for being involved in consultation – while knowing that one’s counsel will not be acted upon, nor would it affect any proceedings of the agenda – will make the whole thing ineffectual. If so, no heart will be mollified and no honour will be sustained. Instead, the truth of the matter is that a course of action to be taken by the Messenger of Allah is identified through revelation directly by Allah Almighty. This holds good in all general matters. But, there are certain matters which, under the dictates of the wisdom and mercy of Allah Almighty, are left to the opinion and discretion of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) . It is in such matters alone where consultation is needed, and these are the kind of matters in which he has been commanded to seek consultation. The history of the consultative sittings of the Messenger of Allah confirms this view.

When the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) consulted with the Compan¬ions (رض) about the battle of Badr, they said that should he ask them to jump into a river, they would do just that; and if he commanded them to march to a far out place such as Bark al-Ghamad, they will be with him; and they would never act like the companions of Musa (عليه السلام) who said: فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَ‌بُّكَ فَقَاتِلَا ‘Go, you and your Lord, and fight the disbelievers’ – 5:24; on the contrary, we shall fondly submit: ‘You lead the way, we shall fight the enemy with you, in front of you and in the rear and the right and the left.’

Similarly, he consulted them about the battle of Uhud asking them if they should defend Madinah by staying inside the city limits or should they go out of the city limits and confront the enemy in the open. The general opinion of the Companions was that they should do the latter and this was what he accepted to do. In the battle of خندق Khandaq, the question of accepting peace under the terms of a partic¬ular treaty came up for discussion. Sayyidna Sa’d ibn Mu’ adh and Sa’d ibn ` Ubadah (رض) opposed the proposed treaty on the grounds that it was inappropriate. It was the opinion of these two Companions that he finally accepted. When he went into consultations on a matter pertaining to Hudaybiyah, the opinion of Sayyidna Abu Bakr (رض) was the basis of his final decision. The Companions were also consulted following the incident of Ifk (false imputation against Sayyidah ` A’ishah (رض) but this and all other matters pointed out were those in which no particular position to be taken by the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was determined through revelation.

To sum up, being a prophet, a messenger and a recipient of revela¬tion is not a bar against consultation. Moreover, in the case of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) it cannot be said that his seeking of counsel from the Companions was ever designed to please them artificially, or that it was virtually ineffectual in the conduct of affairs. On the contrary, the truth is that there were many occasions when he accepted the opinion of those present during consultation even if it happened to be against his own. In fact, in some situations where a particular line of action had not been determined for the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) through reve¬lation, and in its absence he had worked through consultation, there is great divine wisdom. The objective is that the practice of the Holy Prophet     صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم comes to be established for all future generations of Muslims.

Thus, the seeking of consultation as a Sunnah shall become binding on the whole ummah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) Imagine when he himself has not been left free of the need of consulta¬tion who else can claim to be free of such need? For this reason, the method of mutual consultation always continued to be operative during the blessed times of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and his noble Companions (رض) particularly in matters where there was no clear injunction in the Qur’an and Sunnah. When the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) passed away from this mortal world, the noble Companions continued following his practice. Still later, mutual consultation was resorted to as the modality to deduce rulings of Islamic Law in matters where clear injunction was not found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. This was actually the method taught by the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in answer to a question put by Sayyidna Ali (رض) .

4.     The Status of Consultation in an Islamic State:

As stated earlier, the Holy Qur’an has given clear instructions about مشورہ mashwarah or consultation at two places. One appears right here in the verse under study; the other one comes up in verse 42:38 of Sarah al-Shura where one of the many qualities of true Muslims has been mentioned وَأَمْرُ‌هُمْ شُورَ‌ىٰ which means that their affairs are settled by mutual consultation. At both these places the word, امر amr (matter) has been mentioned along with مشورہ mashwarah (consultation). Discussed in detail earlier, the word, امر amr, signifies any important saying or doing, while at the same time, it is applied to injunction, rule or authority or government.

No matter which of the two meanings is taken, consultation in the affairs of the government emerges as invari¬ably necessary, based on these verses. If one elects to take this to mean the affairs of the government, then, the necessity is all the more obvious. In case, the word is taken in its general sense, the affairs of a government being important and far-reaching in effect, would still be considered as affairs in which consultation will be inevitable. There-fore, it is one of the duties of the Muslim امر Amir, the chief executive of the community, that he should seek the counsel of those responsible for the affairs of the government in matters that are important. The verses of the Qur’an quoted above and the consistent practice of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and of the rightly-guided Caliphs is a clear proof of this requirement.

These two verses not only highlight the need for consultation very clearly, they also point out to some basic principles of Islam’s system of government, and its constitution. The Islamic government is a govern¬ment by consultation in which the امر amir or chief executive is chosen , by consultation and definitely not as a matter of family inheritance. It is a بر کہ barakah of Islamic teachings that this principle is recognized all over the world, in one or the other form, so much so that hereditary monar¬chies too are moving towards this arrangement, willingly or unwill¬ingly.

But, let us go back 1400 years in history when the super-powers were Cyrus and Ceaser. The common factor between them was that they both headed hereditary empires and the authority of government was vested in their own persons. Thus, one man ruled millions, not on the basis of ability or capacity, but on the strength of the cruel prin¬ciple of hereditary possession of sovereignty. This form of government, an insult to all human beings, was the way all over the world except Greece where the early teachings of a democratic order of life had yet to translate into principles that would go on to establish a stable government. Instead of that, these ideas relegated into a branch of Aristotelian philosophy. As opposed to this, Islam demolished the unnatural principle of government through heredity and gave the choice of appointing and dismissing the chief executive to the people – a power they could use through their representatives shouldering the responsibilities of the affairs of the state. The world, once stuck in the quagmire of traditional monarchy, came to know about this natural and just system through Islamic teachings and this happens to be the spirit of a system of government we now know as democracy.

But, modern democracies, since they appeared as a reaction to cruel monarchies, came out with an equal lack of moderation. They went on to give the masses the sense of being the absolute, the ulti¬mate entity, an unbridled sovereign of the system of government and the law of state, to the extent that their minds and hearts became alienated from the very concept of God, the Creator of the earth and the heavens and of all human beings, not to say much about the concept of His real Sovereignty and Rule, which comes as a result of that cardinal belief. Now the situation has reached a stage where their ‘democracy’ has started taking the restrictions imposed by Allah Almighty on public choice – which in itself was conferred on human beings by Him – as something of a burden, contrary to justice and equity (of their brand).

The way Islamic Law liberated the whole world from Cyruses, Ceasers and other despotic monarchies, it has also shown the way of God to western democracies trying to hide from Him behind secular curtains. Islam’s way is no more a secret. Its teachings clearly say that the rulers and the ruled, the governments and their peoples are all subject to the Law given by Allah Almighty. The masses, their repre¬sentative assemblies, law-making, appointment and removal of office-holders must operate within the parameters set by Allah Almighty. It is their duty to see that full consideration is given to ability and merit, in the choice of the chief executive, holders of offices and responsible positions. In addition to that, their honesty and trustworthiness should be weighed and tested. When it comes to selecting the chief executive of their government, they must select the one who is the best of all in knowledge, fear of Allah, honesty, trustworthiness, ability and political experience. Even this chief executive, elected though he may be, is not totally free, unchecked and despotic. He has to seek counsel from those who are capable of giving such counsel. The Holy Qur’an bears witness to this and so does the constant practice of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and of the great rightly-guided Caliphs, may Allah be pleased with them all. Who, else can claim to be more just than them?

Sayyidna ` Umar (رض) has said:

There is no Khilafah (Caliphate) unless it be with consulta

tion. (Kanzul-‘ummal vide Ibn Abi Shaybah)

Government by consultation is a basic Islamic requirement so much so that a chief executive .or head of the state, if he ever unfetters himself from the need for consultation or takes counsel from those who are not fit to give counsel from the point of view of the Shari’ah of Islam, has to be removed of necessity.

It appears in al-Bahr al-Muhit of Abi Hayyan: Ibn ` Atiyyah (رح) said that Consultation is one of the basic principles of Islamic Law and Faith. He who does not consult with those who know must be removed as a matter of obligation. This is what nobody differs about.

By making consultation mandatory, the blessings that would benefit the Islamic state and its citizens could be measured by what the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said about consultation. Ibn ‘Adi and al Baihaqi have reported from Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas (رض) that when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: ‘Allah and His Messenger do not need this consultation, but Allah Almighty has certainly made it a source of mercy for my community’ (Bayan al-Qur’an).

The purport is, if Allah Almighty had so willed, He would have conveyed everything to His Messenger through revelation. It was within His power not to leave any need for consultation in anything. But, it was in the best interest of the Muslim community that Allah Almighty helped establish the practice of consultation through His Messenger. This is why many matters were left without any mention and about which no particular revelation was sent down. About these, the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم   was instructed to seek consultation.

5.     Consultation: Decision-Making after a difference of opinion:

What happens when opinions differ on a certain matter? Would it be decided on the contemporary parliamentary principle? Would the chief executive be compelled to enforce the decision of the majority? Or, would he have the right to take a course of action on the basis of powerful arguments and obvious welfare of the state, coming from any side, no matter whether in a majority or a minority? From the Holy Qur’an and Hadith and from the constant practice of the noble Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and his Companions, it cannot be proved that the امیر amir of Muslims, their head of the state is helplessly bound-by the decision of the majority. On the contrary, some hints from the Qur’an and clarifica¬tions from the Hadith and the practice of the Companions make it very evident that the امیر Amir can, in the event of a difference of opinion, use his discretion and go by any of the several courses of action, irrespec¬tive of the fact that it comes from the majority or the minority. There is no doubt that the امیر Amir will do his best to look into other opinions as well to satisfy himself fully, but should the majority come to agree, on one opinion, this could, at times, become a source of satisfaction to him.

A close look at this verse would show that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) ، after he has been commanded to seek counsel, is being told:    فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـه …and once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah’. Here, the word عظم ، ` azm in عظمتَ “azamta’ meaning a firm decision, one way or the other, has been ascribed to the Holy Prophet . The text does not say عظمتم ، ` azamtum, a second person plural, which would have suggested the participation of the Companions in the final making and enforcing of the decision. This hint proves that, once the process of consultation has been completed, the decision and its enforcement is the valid prerogative of the chief executive. There were times when Sayyidna ` Umar ibn al-Khattab (رض) would give his decision based on the opinion of Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas (رض) ، if his opinion was weightier argument-wise, something done even when present there would be Companions more senior than Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas (رض) in age, learning and seniority. There were many occasions when the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has preferred the opinions of the revered شیخین Shaykhayn Abu-Bakr and ` Umar رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہما ، against the majority of other Companions to the limit that people thought this verse was revealed for consultation with these two only. Hakim reports from Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas in his Mustadrak:

Ibn ` Abbas says, that the pronoun in وشاورھم ‘shawirhum’ (consult them) refers to Abu Bakr and ` Umar (رض) (Ibn Kathir)

The narration of Kalbi is clearer than this:

Ibn ` Abbas says that this verse has been revealed for consulting with Abu Bakr and ` Umar. These two were special Companions of the Messenger of Allah and his Ministers and the patrons of Muslims. (Ibn Kathir)

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, had once addressed Sayyidna Abu Bakr and ` Umar (رض) in the following words:

When you agree on an opinion, I do not decide against you.

(Ibn Kathir with reference to the Musnad of Ahmad)

A doubt and its answer:

It is not likely that someone objects to this procedure of decision-making saying that all this is against democracy, a model of one-man rule and that this system might hurt the rights of the masses.

The answer is that the Islamic system of government has already taken care of this problem, for it has not given the masses the absolute right to make anyone they wish the امیر amir of an Islamic state. On the contrary, the mandate given to them requires that they must select a person they think is the best of all in knowledge, conduct, functional ability, Godliness and honesty, and then elect him to be the امیر amir. Now a person who has been elected in view of such elegant qualities and attributes should certainly not be subjected to restrictions usually placed on the dishonest, the sinful and the debauch. Doing this would be against reason and justice, an act of discouragement to the genuine servant of people and a hindrance in the promotion of community-oriented action.

6.     Do what you can, then place your trust in Allah:

At this point, especially at the conclusion of the verse, it is very important to bear in mind that this instruction has been given after having prescribed consultation in all important affairs including those of government. The crucial guideline given here is: Even after having made all preparations, when you finally decide to go ahead and do what has to be done, then that is the time when you do not simply (place your) trust in your reason, opinion, plans or preparedness but, instead of that, you should place your trust in Allah alone, for all these considered plans are in the direct control of the supreme Planner of all affairs and matters. With this in view, the less is said about human beings and their plans is better. Man himself is witness to the futility of his plans in the thousands of events in his life-time.

The statement, ‘And once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah’ also clarifies that placing one’s trust in Allah does not mean that the efforts to provide means and make plans should be abandoned. The fact is that placing one’s trust in Allah while leaving off means near at hand is contrary to the blessed practice of prophets, and against the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. However, if one sits idle dreaming about distant means and irrelevant concerns, or if one relies solely on means and plans as effective agents and ignores the Prime Causer of means and the Planner-par-Excellence of all affairs and plans, then this would certainly be against توکل tawakkul, the placing of trust in Allah.

 [From Ma’ariful Quran English by Mufti Taqi Uthmani]