The Quranic Phrase (For The Cause of God) within the Dealings among People in this World and within the Last Day

Published in March 11, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- We have written a lot about the Quranic fact that belief/Islam in terms of demeanor means peaceful behavior when dealing with all people; i.e., spreading, living, and applying peace and security all the time and everywhere with everyone, whereas belief/Islam in terms of the heart/mind/soul means to submit/dedicate one's religion, faith, and worship only to the Almighty Lord God, without any other deities alongside with Him, while adhering to piety by performing good deeds and avoiding sins and disobedience as per the Quran. Of course, we are to deal peacefully with all peaceful people regardless of their religious affiliation (or even lack of it), and they are like brethren to us within Islam as per overt behavior of peace; therefore, Quranists can get married to anyone among peaceful non-Quranists (e.g., Sunnites, Shiites, Sufis, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Baha'is, atheists, etc.) regardless of their faiths (or lack of any) within their hearts, as every human being's religious beliefs are judged only by the Lord God on the Last Day.

2- The above applies to the fact that individuals should deal peacefully with one another, but what about the Quran-based Yathreb city-state established by Muhammad? We trace the Quranic expression/phrase (for the cause of God) in order to find an answer to this question.

3- The importance of the Quranic phrase (for the cause of God) is that it comes typically within the contexts of (1) jihad or striving for God's sake to preach His religion, (2) self-defense fighting or military endeavors, and (3) immigration to escape religious persecution; hence, one must perform jihad, engage into self-defense fighting, and/or immigrate only for the cause of God; i.e., for the sake of God and serving His call to faith and within piety as per the Quranic commands and teachings. Of course, the Quranic phrase (for the cause of God) indicates that God is the Only One to decide and to judge, on the Last Day, whether one has performed a certain deed (i.e., immigration, self-defense endeavors, and/or jihad) for His sake and serving his cause or not, as He is the Omniscient, Omnipresent Lord. Mortals cannot judge at all in this respect; we cannot know if someone has, in fact, served God or has had any other motives/purposes unrelated to faith.

4- This is why it does not come as a surprise that the Quranic sharia laws of Islam command believers to deal with others only based on overt, known, peaceful behavior; if one claims that he/she has performed certain deeds for the cause of God and to serve Him (i.e., immigration, self-defense endeavors, and/or jihad), we are to deal with this person as per this claim; we have no right whatsoever to question this person's faith inside his/her heart; we must care only about dealing peacefully and fairly with peaceful, innocent people. This is part of the reasons behind the greatness of the Quranic sharia laws of Islam. We provide some details about this topic in the points below. 

Firstly: within the topic of how human beings deal with one another overtly in this world within peace:

1- At first when immigrants settled inside Yathreb, relations within the Yathreb society had radically changed; the Meccan (fe)male immigrants left their disbelieving spouses and their possessions and houses in Mecca. Muhammad made the immigrants and the original tribes/dwellers of Yathreb as brethren to one another. Many of the (fe)male immigrants were poor and needy; the affluent retinue members of the two main Yathrebian tribes, Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj, who controlled everything in Yathreb before Muhammad established the Quran-based city-state there, resented the loss of their stature, power, and influence, and this is why they took advantage of the troublesome social changes and situations inside Yathreb at the time by spreading sexual slanders and rumors about women in Yathreb (i.e., about both female immigrants and female original dwellers or the supporters). This is the situation when the early verses of the Quranic Chapter 24 descended to clear the name of the innocent male and female believers who never committed fornication; we tackle this topic in detail within our book (in English) titled "The Quran: Sufficient as a Source of Islamic Legislation" (found on this link: http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=92); those who used to spread such vicious slanders/rumors and died without sincere repentance will be punished by the Lord God in the Hereafter: "Those who perpetrated the slander are a band of you. Do not consider it bad for you, but it is good for you. Each person among them bears his share in the sin. As for him who played the major role - for him is a terrible torment." (24:11). We focus here on the fact that some of the immigrants in Yathreb participated in the crime of spreading such slanders and unjust rumors – they might have been more than willing to draw nearer to the affluent retinue members of Yathreb. In the Quran, God has urged the wronged parties who were slandered to pardon and forgive such sinful male and female immigrants: "Those of you who have affluence and means should not refuse to give to the relatives, and the needy, and the immigrants for the cause of God. And let them pardon, and let them overlook. Do you not love for God to pardon you? God is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (24:22). In this verse, we notice the phrase (the immigrants for the cause of God), and this description is used despite their deeds and motives that included sins/disobedience like spreading sexual slanders; their overtly declared claim has been to immigrate for the cause of the Lord and other people has to deal peacefully with them based on this explicit declaration of their intention, even if these immigrants sinned and disobeyed God!            

2- Within the first stage of immigration to Yathreb, the terms alliance(s) and to ally oneself to someone emerged; i.e., peaceful believers in Yathreb (both immigrants and supporters) must ally themselves to one another and unite against the external belligerent, aggressive enemies who attacked Yathreb within their military troops. This is mentioned in this Quranic verse: "Those who believed, and emigrated, and struggled for the cause of God with their possessions and their persons, and those who provided shelter and support-these are allies of one another..." (8:72). This means that all immigrants who declared overtly their intention of serving God's cause must be dealt with as such; i.e., as peaceful citizens within the Yathreb city-state; it was never permissible to check their hearts and souls, or their conscience, in search of other motives or goals.   

3- The Qorayish tribe was known for its evil scheming and cunning; within this state of war against the Yathreb city-state launched by Qorayish, this Meccan tribe has sent male and female spies and agents to Yathreb who feigned to be believers; the real, peaceful believers in Yathreb had to be cautious especially regarding female spies; they had to be tested in terms of security before being allowed inside Yathreb – no one dared to question their conscience or their faith inside their hearts, as this domain is exclusive for the Omniscient Lord to judge: "O you who believe! When believing women come to you immigrating, test them. God is Aware of their faith. And if you find them to be faithful, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them..." (60:10).   

4- Hence, immigrating to the Quran-based Yathreb city-state was its point of strength and its point of weakness at the same time; this way, the number of citizens among peaceful believers increased; yet, more spies/agents infiltrated into the fabric of the Yathrebian society at the time. Some of these dangerous spies/agents serving Qorayish were desert-Arabs who were disbelieving hypocrites who feigned to convert to Islam in order to settle inside Yathreb and check its weak points to inform the military troops of the enemies of where to strike and attack the city; some other desert-Arabs used to make peace treaties and then breach it by committing violence against the citizens of Yathreb and God has given certain special sharia laws about how to deal with such dangerous hypocrites; see 4:88-91. These laws include the following: "They would love to see you disbelieve, just as they disbelieve, so you would become equal. So do not befriend any of them, unless they immigrate for the cause of God. If they turn away, seize them and execute them wherever you may find them; and do not take from among them allies or supporters." (4:89). We infer from the verse 4:89 that despite the danger of disbelieving hypocrites, once they immigrated, their immigration is described as for God's cause, as per their overt peaceful behavior, and no one had the right to question them about this point or this declared intention; this is part of the very refined and elevated Quranic sharia legislations.   

5- This is repeated within another sharia legislation/law related to self-defense fighting when attacked by an aggressive enemy; when a soldier of the enemies' troops would side with peace and utter the word of peace, his life must be spared within security, because Islam is the religion of peace, and no one must question his intentions: "O you who believe! When you fight for the cause of God, investigate, and do not say to him who offers you peace, "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of this world..." (4:94); this means that those real believers who fight within self-defense for the cause of God must not think of spoils or worldly gains at all. 

Secondly: within the Last Day

 The Dominant Lord God is the One Who knows the deceptions of the eyes, and what the hearts conceal; thus, He knows about those who truly and sincerely served His cause and those who pretended to do so and had ulterior motives; no one can claim anything falsely or hypocritically on the Last Day. The following verses we quote are some of the many ones about the conditions and circumstances of those who immigrated and strove for the cause of God.  

1- "Those who believed, and those who immigrated and fought for the cause of God - those look forward to God's mercy. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (2:218); this means that the proof or indication of those who immigrated and strove for the cause of God is that they hoped to attain God's mercy and to obtain His pardon and forgiveness on the Last Day.

2- "Anyone who immigrates for the cause of God will find on earth many places of refuge, and plentitude. Anyone who leaves his home, immigrating to God and His Messenger, and then is overtaken by death, his compensation falls on God. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful." (4:100); those who immigrate for the cause of God face many hardships but find God's bounties and rewards eventually within their lifetimes and even when they die.

3- These are the descriptions of real believers in terms of faith who will be forgiven by God Who will grant them higher degrees in Paradise: "Those who believed, and immigrated, and strove for God's cause, and those who gave shelter and support - these are the true believers. They will have forgiveness, and a bountiful provision." (8:74); "But then your Lord - for those who immigrated after being persecuted, then struggled and persevered - your Lord thereafter is Forgiving and Merciful." (16:110); "Those who believe, and immigrate, and strive for the cause of God with their possessions and their persons, are of a higher rank with God. These are the winners." (9:20).

4- "Those who immigrate for God's cause after being persecuted, We will settle them in a good place in this world; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew." (16:41); "Those who immigrate for God's cause, then get killed, or die, God will provide them with fine provisions. God is the Best of Providers." (22:58); thus, God promises them His rewards in this world and in the Hereafter.

5- Those who were killed while engaging into self-defense fighting for God's cause will enter into a Barsakh-level paradise bliss until the Last Day: "Do not consider those killed in the cause of God as dead. In fact, they are alive, at their Lord, well provided for." (3:169).

6- Those who fight while serving God's cause (and not within a form of aggression) as they defend themselves against religious persecution will be richly rewarded by God: "Let those who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter fight for the cause of God. Whoever fights for the cause of God, and then is killed, or achieves victory, We will grant him a great compensation." (4:74); "O you who believe! Shall I inform you of a trade that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in God and His Messenger, and strive for the cause of God with your possessions and yourselves. That is best for you, if you only knew. He will forgive you your sins; and will admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and into beautiful mansions in the Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme success. And something else you love: support from God, and imminent victory. So give good news to the believers." (61:10-13).

7- God is the Omniscient Lord Who knows all people's deeds and will reward, on the Last Day, the sincere ones who served His cause: "Those who immigrate for God's cause, then get killed, or die, God will provide them with fine provisions. God is the Best of Providers." (22:58); "And so their Lord answered them: "I will not waste the work of any worker among you, whether male or female. You are one of another. For those who immigrated, and were expelled from their homes, and were persecuted because of Me, and fought and were killed - I will remit for them their sins, and will admit them into gardens beneath which rivers flow - a reward from God. With God is the ultimate reward."" (3:195).

Lastly:

  Despite of all of the above, some of the believing immigrants allied themselves to the aggressive Meccans of Qorayish; God has told them the following: "O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and your enemies for supporters, offering them affection, when they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the Truth. They have expelled the messenger, and you, because you believed in God, your Lord. If you have mobilized to strive for My cause, seeking My approval, how can you secretly love them? I know what you conceal and what you reveal. Whoever among you does that has strayed from the righteous path." (60:1). This means that to ally oneself to the Quran-based state of Islam in Yathreb at the time was a duty and an obligation imposed on real believers; the Omniscient Lord has warned them in the verse 60:1 against allying themselves to the polytheistic aggressors if they really immigrated for the cause of God. As always God says nothing but the Absolute Truth.