Quran 29:69 “Those Who Strive For Us – We Will Surely…” – Jihad
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
Background
This verse was revealed in Makkah:
“Verses 56 to 60 clearly show that this Surah was sent down a little before the migration to Habash, and this is supported by the internal evidence of the subject matter as well. Some commentators have opined that since it mentions the hypocrites, and hypocrisy appeared in Madinah, the first ten verses of this Surah were revealed at
Madinah and the rest of it at Makkah; whereas the people whose hypocrisy has been mentioned here are those who had adopted a hypocritical way of life because they were afraid of the oppression and extreme physical torture to which the Muslims were being subjected by the disbelievers.
Evidently, this kind of hypocrisy could be there only at Makkah and not at Madinah. Similarly, some other commentators, seeing that in this Surah the Muslims have been exhorted to migrate, have regarded it as the last Surah to be revealed at Makkah, whereas the Muslims had migrated to Habash even before their migration to Madinah.
These opinions are not based on any tradition but on the internal evidence of the subject matter, and this internal evidence, when considered against the subject matter of the Surah as a whole, points to the conditions prevailing in the time of the migration to Habash and not to the last stage at Makkah.” (Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi – Tafhim al-Qur’an – The Meaning of the Qur’an – Online Source)
Analysing Verse
“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” – Quran 29:69
29:69 – Those who are on the path of striving to God, He will surely guide them to his ways. The verse could also be aimed at believers who may seek answers but don’t know. so God here says that if the person is sincerely looking for answers, God will surely guide him/her. The Arabic word ‘Jihad’ used in this verse and rest of the Quran, does not always refer to fighting. Most of the time it speaks in a spiritual sense.
Commentaries
Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
“But as for those who struggle for Our sake, for Our truth, We shall assuredly guide them in Our ways, that is, the means to come to Us, and truly God is with the virtuous, the believers, assisting and helping. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn on Surah 29:69 – Online source)
Malik Ghulam Farid:
“2268. Jihad as ordained by Islam does not consist in killing and being killed, but in striving hard to win the pleasure of God, the word, Fina meaning ‘to meet us.’” [1]
Tafsir Ibn Kathir:
“(As for those who strive hard for Us,) meaning the Messenger and his Companions and those who follow him, until the Day of Resurrection, ‘We will surely guide them to Our paths.’ means, `We will help them to follow Our path in this world and the Hereafter.’
Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that `Abbas Al-Hamdani Abu Ahmad — one of the people of `Akka (Palestine) — said, concerning the Ayah: ‘As for those who strive hard for Us (in Our cause’, We will surely guide them to Our paths.
And verily, Allah is with the doers of good.) “Those who act upon what they know, Allah will guide them to that which they do not know.” Ahmad bin Abu Al-Hawari said, “I told this to Abu Sulayman Ad-Darani, and he liked it and said:
`No one who is inspired to do something good should do it until he hears a report concerning that; if he hears a report then he should go ahead and do it, and praise Allah because it was in accordance with what he himself felt.”’ (And verily, Allah is with the doers of good.) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ash-Sha`bi said; “Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him, said:
`Righteousness means doing good to those who ill-treat you, it does not mean doing good to those who do good to you.”’ And Allah knows best. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-`Ankabut. All praise and thanks are due to Allah.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir on Surah 29:69 – Online Source)
Dr. Muhammad Asad:
“61 Lit., “Our paths”. The plural used here is obviously meant to stress the fact – alluded to often in the Qur’an – that there are many paths which lead to a cognizance (ma’rifah) of God.” [2]
Tafhim al-Qur’an – The Meaning of the Qur’an – Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:
107 The word mujahadah has already been explained in E.N: 8 above. There it was said that a person who exerts will exert for his own good (v. 6.). Here it is being reassured that Allah does not leave alone those who strive in His cause sincerely, even at the risk of a conflict with the entire world, but He helps and guides them and opens for them ways towards Himself.
He teaches them at every step the way of winning His approval and good-will and He shows them the light at every turning point to discriminate between the Right Way and the wrong ways of life. In short, Allah helps and succors and guides them according to their sincerity and intensity of desire for goodness. (Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi – Tafhim al-Qur’an – The Meaning of the Qur’an – Online source)
References:
[1] The Holy Qur’an – Arabic Text With English Translation & Short Commentary By Malik Ghulam Farid,
page 816
[2] The Message of The Quran translated and explained by Muhammad Asad, page 860