Al-Fath (The Victory)

25. They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from al-Masjid al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women [in Mecca] whom you did not know [owing to the command as to attack], that you may sill them and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you without [your] knowledge [We would have issued the command of waging war and attacking Mecca and confrontation with these disbelievers, but we did not issue such a command], that Allah might bring into His Mercy whom He wills, if they [believers and polytheists] had been apart, We truly would have chastised those of them who disbelieved with excruciating torment.

The Arabic word ma’kuf is employed in the sense of an animal kept for sacrifice. The word mu’takif designates someone who makes himself bound to something or a place for some sacred cause. The word ma’arra indicates loss and the verbal form tazayyalu signifies “they had been apart.”

The blessed Verse in question treats of Divine Favors bestowed upon believers such that war and bloodshed were removed from the people of Mecca for the safety of believers.

Thus it is said that though Meccan polytheists prevented Muslims from entering Masjid al-Haram and returned the seventy camels brought by the Noble Prophet as sacrificial animals from the sacrificial place, God Almighty lifted the command of war, since believing men and women lived in Mecca who concealed their belief out of fear and had there occurred a war between Meccan polytheists and Muslims, they would have perished without they being aware of the same and they would have been grieved.

Concerning the reason for accepting the truce with Mu’awiya, Imam Hasan (as) said:

“I avoided war out of discretion and defending their blood.”1 Thus, God Almighty bestowed His Mercy upon Meccan believers and provided them with safety against being killed. It is also worthy of note that the prodosis of the law (“if”) apodosis is deleted, in other words, had it not been for providing Meccan believers with safety against their lives, We would have commanded jihad against Meccans and you would have conquered them.

To lay further emphasis, the blessed Verse in question thus closes:

“Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, that you may sill them and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you without [your] knowledge, that Allah might bring into His Mercy whom He wills, if they [believers and polytheists] had been apart, We truly would have chastised those of them who disbelieved with excruciating torment.” The verbal form tazayyalu (“they had been apart”) derives from the root z-w-l (“disperse, scatter, break up, separate”).

Based on numerous traditions cited in Shi’i and Sunni sources concerning the blessed Verse in question, it could be said that there were believers living amongst disbelievers and it was for their safety and God Almighty did not chastise disbelievers.

According to a tradition narrated from Imam Sadiq (as), he was asked:

“Was ‘Ali (as) not mighty and perseverant in God’s religion?”

The Noble Imam replied:

“Yes, he was.”

He was again asked:

“Why did he not destroy disbelievers and hypocrites when he conquered them? What did impede him from doing the same?”

Imam Sadiq (as) replied:

“Owing to one Qur’anic Verse.”

He was asked about the Verse and he answered:

“The Verse in which God Almighty says: ‘if they [believers and polytheists] had been apart, We truly would have chastised those of them who disbelieved with excruciating torment.’”

Then the Noble Imam (as) added:

“There were believers under Divine custody residing with disbelievers and hypocrites and ‘Ali (as) did not intend to kill fathers so that those under custody become apparent … and also our Riser (qa’im) of the Ahl al-Bayt (“the Noble Prophet’s family”) will not rise until such believers under Divine custody become apparent.”2

God Almighty is Aware that a number of their children will voluntarily convert to the Islamic faith and it is for their sake that He exempts fathers from immediate chastisement.