OCCASION OF REVELATION (VERSE NO.77)

      IBN- ABBÄSS has narrated that a group of Muslims who were in Mecca before the emigration, were impatient for want of fighting. They wanted to fight for personal gains; such as plunder, spoils, taking vengeance, and etc. Fighting was not yet prescribed, though fight for such motives and personal interests, has never been commanded and is unlawful at any time and any age. They who were under the persecution of the heathen said to the prophet: ``Before our conversion, we were respected here and greatly valued; but now we have lost all that honour and regards! Then give us permission to fight in order to restore our esteem and prestige.''

      The prophet said: ``I am not ordered to fight yet.''

      When after the great emigration, the command for fight was issued and the testing time came by, and they saw that they seriously had to take part in the war, and not for personal gain, but for a sacred cause and its own rules and regulation, they trembled with fear and held back!

COMMENTS:

      The above mentioned group of hypocrites, or if you want you may call them nominal Muslims, frankly said: ``Our Lord! Why didn't you give us enough respite to pass over our natural term of life which is by itself short enough.''

      The verse in answer to them clearly implies that; first of all they are such cowards who fear people more than fearing them Allah. Secondly; in any case, life here is short and the pleasures and enjoyments of this world are very little, and that if any one is afraid of death, he won't be able to escape it by his fear.