Surah Al-Hadid

The theme of this Surah is to exhort the Muslims to spend in the cause of Allah. At the most critical juncture of the history of Islam, when it was engaged in a life and death struggle against Arab paganism, this Surah was revealed to persuade the Muslim’s to make monetary sacrifices in particular, and to make them realise that Islam did not merely consist in verbal affirmation and some outward practices but its essence and spirit is sincerity towards Allah and His religion. The faith of the one who was devoid of this spirit and who regarded his own self and wealth as dearer to himself than Allah and His religion, was hollow and therefore of little worth in the sight of Allah. For this object, first the attributes of Allah Almighty have been mentioned so that the listeners may fully realise as to who is addressing them. Then, the following themes have been expressed in sequence:

1. The inevitable demand of the Faith is that one should not avoid spending one’s wealth for the sake of Allah. This would not only be contrary to the Faith but also wrong realistically. For the wealth indeed belongs to Allah, on which man has been given proprietary rights only as His vicegerent.

Yesterday this wealth was in other people’s possession; today it is with one particular man, and tomorrow it will pass into someone else’s hand.

Ultimately, it will go back to Allah, Who is the inheritor of everything in the universe. The only amount of wealth that will be of any use to a man, is that amount which he spends in the cause of Allah during the period it is in his possession.

1. Although making sacrifices for the sake of Allah is commendable in any case, the true worth of these sacrifices is determined by the nature of the occasion. There is an occasion when the power of paganism is overwhelming and there is a danger that it might subdue and overcome Islam completely; there is another occasion when Islam is in a stronger position in its struggle against disbelief and the Believers are attaining victories. Both these states are not equal as regards to their respective importance. Therefore, the sacrifices that are made in these different states would also not be equal. Those who sacrifice their lives and expend their wealth to further promote the cause of Islam when it is already strong cannot attain to the rank of those who struggled with their lives to promote and uphold the cause of Islam when it was weak.
2. Whatever is spent for the cause of the truth is a loan on Allah, and Allah will not only return it increasing it manifold but will also give from Himself the best reward for it.
3. In the Hereafter, the light shall be bestowed only on those Believers who would have spent their wealth in the cause of Allah. As for the hypocrites who watched and served only their own interests in the world, and who least bothered whether the truth or falsehood prevailed will be segregated from the Believers in the Hereafter although they might have lived in close association with them in the world. They will be deprived of the light, and they will be counted among the disbelievers.
4. The Muslims should not behave like those followers of the earlier Books, whose lives have been spent in the worship of the world and whose hearts have become hardened due to negligence with the passage of time. He cannot be a believer whose heart does not melt at the remembrance of Allah and does not bow to the truth sent down by Him.
5. The sincere upholders of the truth and the true witnesses of the Faith in the sight of Allah are only those Believers who spend their wealth in His way sincerely, without any desire of show.
6. The life of this world is only a short-lived spring and a means of pride and show. Its sports and pastimes, its adornments and decorations, its pride of place, its wealth and possessions, for which the people try to oppose with one another, are transient. Its likeness is of the crop which flourishes and blooms, then turns pale and then finally is reduced to chaff. The everlasting life, is the life hereafter when results of great consequence will be announced. Therefore, if one has to compete with another for something, one should strive for Paradise.
7. Whatever good man meets with and whatever hardship he suffers in the world, are preordained by Allah. A true believer is he who does not lose heart in affliction and is not puffed up with pride in good times. It is the character of a hypocrite and disbeliever that he is puffed up with pride when Allah favours him with His blessings, behaved boastfully and shows stinginess when called upon to spend in the cause of the same Allah Who blessed him, and also counsels others to be stingy like himself.
8. Allah sent His Messengers with clear signs and the Book and the law of justice so that the people may adhere to justice; besides, He sent down iron also so that power may be used to establish the truth and vanquish falsehood. Thus, Allah likes to see as to who from among the people would rise to support and aid His true Religion even at the risk of their lives. These opportunities Allah has created for man’s own advantage and development; otherwise, Allah does not stand in need of others for His works.
9. Prophets came from Allah in the past, and by their preaching some people adopted the right path, but most of them persisted in wickedness. Then the Prophet Jesus came, whose teachings brought about many moral improvements in the lives of the people, but his community invented monasticism. Now Allah has sent the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Those who affirm faith in him and pass their life fearing Allah’s accountability, will be given by Allah a double share of His mercy and He will bless them with the light by which they will see and walk the straight path among the crooked paths met with at every step in the life of this world. Although the followers of the earlier revelation regard themselves as the monopolists of Allah’s bounties, the fact remains that Allah Himself controls His bounties He may bless with these whomever He pleases.