An-Nisaa (The Women)

69. "And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favours, of the prophets, and the truthful, and the martyrs, and the righteous; and excellent are these as companions."

70. "This is the grace from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as the Knower."

Occasion of Revelation

Upon the revelation of this verse, it has been cited that: once one of the companions of the Prophet (S), who was named Nuban, and who had a fairly intensive affection to the Messenger of Allah (S), came to him while he was very distressed.

The Messenger of Allah (S) asked him about his disturbance and he answered that he reviewed the thought in his mind on that day that if he would be admitted into Paradise on the Day of Judgement, he would surely not be in the position of the Prophet (S) therein.

And, if he would not be admitted into Paradise, his circumstances were evident. Therefore, in either of the cases he might be deprived from being at the presence of him (S). That was why he was distressed.

Then, these two verses were revealed and gave glad tidings to such people implying that the obedient persons will be the companions of the prophets and the chosen ones in Heaven. Then the Prophet (S) said:

"By Allah, the faiths of a Muslim will not he completed except that the one loves me better than himself; his parents and all his relatives, and that he he submitted to my words."

Companions in Heaven

In the previous holy verses, the privileges of the obedient to the command of Allah (s.w.t.) were enumerated. To complete them, this holy verse says:

"And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favours ..."

As it was mentioned in the commentary of Surah Al-Hamd, This bounty reaches to those who constantly pave the Straight Path and go astray naught.

Then, to explain this phrase, it points to the following four groups, and says:

"... of the prophets, and the truthful, and the martyrs, and the righteous; ..."

1. The prophets and the special messengers of Allah are those who take the first step for the guidance, leadership and invitation of people to the Straight Path.

2. The truthful are those who both tell the truth in their speech and prove it by their own true and sincere deeds. They practically show that they are not only some bare claimers of Faith, but they truly do believe in the commands of Allah.

In Islamic authentic literature, the whole immaculate Imams (as) and Fatima Zahra (as) are introduced as the best samples of 'the truthful'.

3. The martyrs are those slain in the path of divine goal and belief, or those distinguished persons who will be witnesses to the deeds of human beings on the Day of Judgement.

4. The Righteous are the distinguished eligible persons who have gained some prominent ranks by performing some positive, productive and useful deeds and also by obeying the commands of the prophets.

At the end of the verse, it remarks:

"... and excellent are these as companions."

It is clearly understood from the above verse that having good companions and valuable friends is so great and important that even in the Hereafter, to complete the Heavenly bounties, this great favour will be granted to' the obedient', too.

To express the importance of this great advantage (viz. the companionship of the Chosens), it says:

"This is the grace from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as the Knower."

However, being with prophets and the truthful is a grace from Allah to those who obey Him.

Allah is cognizant to the states of the obedient and disobedient people, as well as to the circumstances of the hypocrites and sincere believers. He knows those who are eligible for the friendship of the prophets, the truthful and so on, the same as the states of those who are not eligible, because He is aware of even the treachery of the eyes.