At-Tawba (The Repentance)

71. “And the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians to one another; they enjoin good and forbid evil and they perform the prayer and they pay the alms (zakāt), and they obey Allah and His Messenger. It is they on whom Allah will bestow His Mercy. Verily Allah is the Mighty, the Wise.”

The Signs of the True Believers

The signs of true believers, men and women, have been mentioned in the verse under discussion. These signs are also figured five here:

The verse beings as follows:

“And the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians to one another;

After referring to this general principle, the revelation pays to the explanation of the details of the epithets of the believers.

1 - At first, it implies that they invite people to good. The verse continues saying:

“…they enjoin good…”

2- They also restrain people from vices, wickednesses, and unlawful things:

“…and forbid evil…”

3- Contrast to the hypocrites, who usually forget Allah, the believers always establish prayer; keep the remembrance of Allah, and, consequently, by this remembrance and the Name of Allah, they cause their hearts to be light and their minds to be aware. The holy verse says:

“…and they perform the prayer…”

4- Again, contrast to the hypocrites who are some miserly persons, the believers pay a part of their wealth as the alms (zakāt) in the way of Allah and for Allah and for supporting the servants of Allah (s.w.t.), in order to improve their society. The verse says:

“…and they pay the alms (zakāt)…”

5- The hypocrites are mischievous, and disobedient, and they behave outside of the circle of the commandment of Allah; but believers obey the command of Allah and His Messenger. The verse says:

“…and they obey Allah and His Messenger…”

At the end of this verse, the Qur’ān points to the first privilege of the believers from the point of their fate and their reward. It says:

“…It is they on whom Allah will bestow His Mercy…”

No doubt the promise of mercy to the believers is from the side of Allah. This promise is conclusive and assured from any point of view, because:

“…Verily Allah is the Mighty, the Wise.”

Neither does He promise without any cause, nor does He fail its fulfilment when He promises.