The Light of the Holy Qur'an — Page 108
T HE L IGHT OF T HE HOLY Q U R’AN—NUM BE R T WO T HE L IGHT OF T HE HOLY Q U R’AN—NUM BE R T WO 108 1 اَل ْمُكَّنَمِرْجَي ُنٰاَنَش ٍمْوَق ىٰۤلَع اَّلَا اْوُلِدْعَت١ؕ اْوُلِدْعِا١۫ َوُه ُبَرْقَا ىٰوْقَّتلِل Meaning: ‘Let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, in this alone is righteousness. ’ Now, you do know how hard it is to be equitable in dealing with such nations who torture you unjustifiably and cause injury to you, and cause bloodshed, and pursue you, and kill women and children—as the Makkan infidels had done—and then do not cease their warmongering! But the Quranic teaching did not usurp the rights even of such mortal enemies, and admonished in favour of justice and equity. But you are fallen in the pit of preju- dice, how could you understand such holy teachings? The Gospel does say ‘love your enemy’, but they do not say that the hostility and cruelty of the nations who are hostile to you should not deter you from justice and truthfulness. I state it quite truthfully that it is easy to treat an enemy cordially, but it is quite difficult and, befitting only of the gallant, to safeguard the rights of enemies and not to forsake justice and equity in litiga- tions. Most people love their rival kinsmen, and treat them with sweet words, but usurp their rights. A brother loves his brother, but under the guise of that love, he defrauds him and deprives him of his rights. For example, if he happens to be a landowner, he slyly gets his brother’s name not recorded in the title deed, while show- ing such affection as though he is eager to sacrifice his life for him. Thus, in this verse, God Almighty did not mention love, but mentioned the touchstone of love, for one who renders justice unto his mortal enemy and does not compromise truthfulness 1. S u rah al-M a’ idah, 5:9 [Publisher]