Does the Qur’an Contradict Itself on the Degrees of the Mujahideen?
Does the Qur’an Contradict Itself About the Degrees of the Mujahideen?
Some ill-intentioned people imagine that there is a contradiction in the words of Allah Almighty:
“Not equal are those believers who sit at home, other than those who have a disability, and those who strive and fight in the cause of God with their wealth and their lives. God has preferred those who strive with their wealth and their lives over those who sit at home, by a degree. But to each God has promised goodness, but God has preferred those who strive and fight over those who sit at home with a great reward — degrees from Him and forgiveness and mercy. And ever is God Forgiving and Merciful.”
Their aim behind this is to say that the Qur’an is not from Allah as long as there is this alleged contradiction in it.
The Way to Refute the Doubt
Whoever attains all the degrees has attained a great degree, meaning a great rank. Whoever attains some of them has attained a lower degree. Therefore, there is no contradiction between the two verses.
The Correct Meaning of the Two Verses
Allah has given preference to those who strive with their wealth and lives over those who sit back and are not harmed by a degree. At the same time, He, Glory be to Him, has given preference to those who strive over one another by degrees.
The correct understanding of the two verses removes the suspicion of contradiction. The meaning of the first verse is that it is not fair for those who strive and those who do not strive to be equal in worldly and otherworldly reward.
Those who strive with their wealth and lives in the way of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, have a degree above those who do not strive with their wealth or lives.
As for those who have legitimate excuses that prevent them from striving, they are not included in this blame or preference against them. Their excuses act like a legal concession that lifts the hardship of jihad from them, unlike healthy people who are able to go out.
Ibn Ashur on the Exception for the Disabled
What confirms this understanding is what Ibn Ashur mentioned in his interpretation of this verse.
Therefore, it was necessary to expose those who sit back and make their situation ugly. The place of the exception then becomes clear in His saying:
“Except those who are disabled.”
This was so that those who are disabled would not think that they were targeted by the incitement and then go out with the Muslims, burdening them with transport and protection without benefit. It was also so that they would not think that they were targeted by the blame, which would break their souls in addition to the brokenness caused by their inability.
In excluding them, there is justice for them and an excuse for them, because if they were able, they would not have sat back.
The Report of Zayd ibn Thabit
This meaning is also confirmed by what was reported from Zayd ibn Thabit.
“The revelation came down to the Messenger of God while I was beside him, then it was lifted from him, and he said: Write. So I wrote — and Zayd was one of the scribes of revelation:
‘Not equal are those believers who sit at home and those who strive in the cause of God with their wealth and their lives.’
Ibn Umm Maktum was behind the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said: O Messenger of God, if I could strive, I would strive.
So in its place was revealed:
‘Not equal are those believers who sit at home, except for those who are disabled, and those who strive in the cause of God with their wealth and their lives.’”
Ibn Umm Maktum understood the intended meaning of denying equality. He thought that the insinuation included him and those like him, since he was one of those who sat back. Because of this thought, he moved from merely guarding his position to speaking explicitly.
What “Degree” Means in the Verse
The meaning of the word degree by which Allah Almighty favored the mujahideen over those who sit back is status. It does not mean a single numerical level in a restrictive sense. Rather, it refers to a moral type of elevation.
“The degree here is borrowed for moral elevation, as in the words of Allah Almighty:
‘And men have a degree over them, and God is Exalted in Might and Wise.’
The elevation intended here is the elevation of virtue and the abundance of reward.
‘Degree’ was used in the singular form, not for numerical singularity, because degree here is a moral type that has no singularity. Therefore, it was expressed again in the sentence that came after it — to emphasize it — in the plural form by saying:
‘Degrees from Him.’
This is because the plural is stronger than the singular, and the tanween of ‘degree’ is for glorification. It is equal in meaning to the plural in the words of Allah Almighty:
‘Degrees from Him.’”
The singulardegree means a great rank or status. The plural degrees explains the many levels of reward within that great rank. There is no contradiction.
Mujahideen Themselves Differ in Degrees
Just as Allah Almighty has given preference to the mujahideen over those who sit back without excuse in status, Allah has also given preference to some mujahideen over others in degrees.
Every person is rewarded according to his deeds. Therefore, Allah Almighty said:
“Degrees from Him and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Sheikh Al-Shaarawy comments on this verse by explaining that Allah Almighty has given those who are harmed a degree, and He has given the mujahideen in the way of Allah several degrees over those who sit back and are not harmed.
When we hear the word degree, it means status. But the status is not only sufficient as a broad explanation of the meaning; it is also the status of protection.
Are These Degrees for All Mujahideen Equally?
The process of jihad itself requires strong faith, endurance, sacrifice, and effort.
For this reason, the truth came in a text in Surat At-Tawbah:
Nor do they spend a small amount or a large amount, nor do they cross a valley, but it is recorded for them that Allah may reward them with the best of what they used to do.”
Here, Allah explains that it is not right for the people of Madinah and the bedouins around them to stay behind from jihad with the Messenger of Allah, nor to be satisfied with ease and comfort for themselves while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is in hardship and difficulty.
Just as he went out to fight, they should go out, because the reward is great.
They do not suffer fatigue except that they have the reward of righteous deeds. They do not suffer hunger except that they have the reward of righteous deeds. They do not walk in a place that enrages the disbelievers except that they have the reward of righteous deeds. They do not gain anything against the enemy except that Allah records it for them as a righteous deed.
Glory be to Him, He rewards with the best of what they used to do.
The Seven Degrees Mentioned by the Scholars
The scholars limited these divine gifts to seven levels.
One person may attain all the levels. Another may be afflicted with thirst only and attain the degree of thirst. Another may be afflicted with fatigue and take the degree of fatigue. A third may be afflicted with severe hunger. A fourth may have three levels.
When these levels are calculated, they are:
- Thirst.
- Fatigue.
- Hunger.
- They do not tread a path that enrages the disbelievers, meaning they do not settle in a place where the Muslims can overpower them and maintain their authority over them.
- Inflicting torment upon the enemy.
- Small and large expenses.
- Crossing any valley for the sake of Allah.
Whoever attains the seven degrees has attained a great status, and each mujahid is rewarded according to what he has given.
Conclusion
The first verse confirms Allah’s preference, Glory be to Him, for the mujahideen who strive with their wealth and their souls over those who sit without excuses, by a degree — meaning a great status.
The second verse confirms Allah’s preference, Glory be to Him, for the mujahideen over one another by degrees, each according to his effort.
The scholars limited the divine gifts mentioned in verses 120 and 121 of Surat At-Tawbah to seven degrees. All of them may be attained, or only some of them may be attained, according to what the mujahid does.
These seven degrees are some of Allah’s gifts to the mujahideen. It was also reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that the mujahideen in Paradise have one hundred degrees, and that the distance between each degree is like the distance between the heavens and the earth.
All of this virtue is due to the greatness of what the mujahid does in the way of Allah.
Source Notes
Mukhmasa means severe hunger.
At-Tahrir wa’t-Tanwir, Muhammad Al-Tahir ibn Ashur, Dar Sahnun for Publishing and Distribution, Tunis, n.d., vol. 3, p. 170.
At-Tahrir wa’t-Tanwir, Muhammad Al-Tahir ibn Ashur, Dar Sahnun for Publishing and Distribution, Tunis, n.d., pp. 171-172.