Surah Nisa ayat 61 Tafsir Quran 4:61

﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُودًا﴾
[ النساء: 61]

4:61 And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.

And when it is said to them ‘Come to what God has revealed as regards rulings in the Qur’ān and the Messenger’ that he may judge between you you see the hypocrites turn away from you vehemently to others.

When advised to resort to the canon law sent by Allah to be the standard for judgement and to betake themselves to you -the Messenger- for aid, you see the hypocrites, actuated by repugnance, turn away their faces, their eyes and their thoughts from you

Referring to Other than the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment is Characteristic of Non-Muslims Allah chastises those who claim to believe in what Allah has sent down to His Messenger and to the earlier Prophets, yet they refer to other than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment in various disputes.
It was reported that the reason behind revealing this Ayah was that a man from the Ansar and a Jew had a dispute, and the Jew said, "Let us refer to Muhammad to judge between us." However, the Muslim man said, "Let us refer to Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf ( a Jew ) to judge between us." It was also reported that the Ayah was revealed about some hypocrites who pretended to be Muslims, yet they sought to refer to the judgment of Jahiliyyah.
Other reasons were also reported behind the revelation of the Ayah.
However, the Ayah has a general meaning, as it chastises all those who refrain from referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for judgment and prefer the judgment of whatever they chose of falsehood, which befits the description of Taghut here.
This is why Allah said, يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّـغُوتِ ( and they wish to go for judgment to the Taghut ) until the end of the Ayah.
Allah's statement, يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُوداً ( turn away from you with aversion ) means, they turn away from you in arrogance, just as Allah described the polytheists, وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ( When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." ) This is different from the conduct of the faithful believers, whom Allah describes as, إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ( The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear and we obey." ) Chastising the Hypocrites Chastising the hypocrites, Allah said, فَكَيْفَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, ) meaning, how about it if they feel compelled to join you because of disasters that they suffer due to their sins, then they will be in need of you. ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( They come to you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) apologizing and swearing that they only sought goodwill and reconciliation when they referred to other than the Prophet for judgment, not that they believe in such alternative judgment, as they claim.
Allah describes these people to us further in His statement, فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى ( And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy ), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear"), until, فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ نَـدِمِينَ ( Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves ).
At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Abu Barzah Al-Aslami used to be a soothsayer who judged between the Jews in their disputes.
When some Muslims came to him to judge between them, Allah sent down, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ( Have you not seen those (hyprocrites ) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you), until, إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) Allah then said, أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ( They (hypocrites ) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts;) These people are hypocrites, and Allah knows what is in their hearts and will punish them accordingly, for nothing escapes Allah's watch.
Consequently, O Muhammad! Let Allah be sufficient for you in this regard, because He has perfect knowledge of their apparent and hidden affairs.
This is why Allah said, فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( so turn aside from them (do not punish them )) meaning, do not punish them because of what is in their hearts. وَعِظْهُمْ ( but admonish them ) means, advise them against the hypocrisy and evil that reside in their hearts, وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً ( and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves ) advise them, between you and them, using effective words that might benefit them.

(4:61) When they are told: 'Come to that which Allah has revealed, and come to the Messenger', you will notice the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion. *92

And when it is said to them, meaning

*92).
This shows that the hypocrites were inclined to refer to the Prophet ( peace be on him ) those cases in which they expected a favourable decision.
When they feared an adverse judgement they refused to refer to the Prophet ( peace be on him ).
This continues to be the practice of many hypocrites even now.
Whenever they feel that Islamic Law would further their interests they turn to it but when they feel it would militate against them they refer their disputes to whichever legal systems and courts of law, customs and usages they anticipate most likely to give them a favourable decision.

 

Referring to Other than the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment is Characteristic of Non-Muslims Allah chastises those who claim to believe in what Allah has sent down to His Messenger and to the earlier Prophets, yet they refer to other than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment in various disputes.
It was reported that the reason behind revealing this Ayah was that a man from the Ansar and a Jew had a dispute, and the Jew said, "Let us refer to Muhammad to judge between us." However, the Muslim man said, "Let us refer to Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf ( a Jew ) to judge between us." It was also reported that the Ayah was revealed about some hypocrites who pretended to be Muslims, yet they sought to refer to the judgment of Jahiliyyah.
Other reasons were also reported behind the revelation of the Ayah.
However, the Ayah has a general meaning, as it chastises all those who refrain from referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for judgment and prefer the judgment of whatever they chose of falsehood, which befits the description of Taghut here.
This is why Allah said, يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّـغُوتِ ( and they wish to go for judgment to the Taghut ) until the end of the Ayah.
Allah's statement, يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُوداً ( turn away from you with aversion ) means, they turn away from you in arrogance, just as Allah described the polytheists, وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ( When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." ) This is different from the conduct of the faithful believers, whom Allah describes as, إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ( The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear and we obey." ) Chastising the Hypocrites Chastising the hypocrites, Allah said, فَكَيْفَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, ) meaning, how about it if they feel compelled to join you because of disasters that they suffer due to their sins, then they will be in need of you. ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( They come to you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) apologizing and swearing that they only sought goodwill and reconciliation when they referred to other than the Prophet for judgment, not that they believe in such alternative judgment, as they claim.
Allah describes these people to us further in His statement, فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى ( And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy ), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear"), until, فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ نَـدِمِينَ ( Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves ).
At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Abu Barzah Al-Aslami used to be a soothsayer who judged between the Jews in their disputes.
When some Muslims came to him to judge between them, Allah sent down, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ( Have you not seen those (hyprocrites ) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you), until, إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) Allah then said, أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ( They (hypocrites ) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts;) These people are hypocrites, and Allah knows what is in their hearts and will punish them accordingly, for nothing escapes Allah's watch.
Consequently, O Muhammad! Let Allah be sufficient for you in this regard, because He has perfect knowledge of their apparent and hidden affairs.
This is why Allah said, فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( so turn aside from them (do not punish them )) meaning, do not punish them because of what is in their hearts. وَعِظْهُمْ ( but admonish them ) means, advise them against the hypocrisy and evil that reside in their hearts, وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً ( and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves ) advise them, between you and them, using effective words that might benefit them.

( And then it is said unto them ) to Hatib Ibn Abi Balta’ah, the hypocrite, who had a dispute with al-Zubayr Ibn al-’Awwam, the cousin of the Prophet ( pbuh ): ( Come unto that which Allah hath revealed ) come to the ruling which Allah has revealed in the Qur’an ( and unto the messenger ) and to the judgement of the messenger, ( thou seest the hypocrites ) Hatib Ibn Abi Balta’ah ( turn from you with aversion ) turn away from your judgement in complete rejection.

And when it is said to them: "Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger (Muhammad SAW)," you (Muhammad SAW) see the hypocrites turn away from you (Muhammad SAW) with aversion.

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