Quran Speaks to You

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent


When you go forth on earth, you will incur no sin by shortening your prayers, if you have reason to fear that the disbelievers may cause you affliction. Truly, the disbelievers are your sworn enemies.


When you are with the believers and about to lead them in prayer, let one party of them stand up with you and hold on to their weapons. Then, after they have prostrated themselves, let them be behind you, while the other party, who have not yet prayed, shall come forward and pray with you, and let these be on their guard, holding on to their weapons. The disbelievers would love to see you oblivious of your weapons and your equipment, so that they might swoop on you with one assault. But it is no offense for you to lay down your arms if you are bothered by heavy rain, or suffering from illness, but you must always be on your guard. Allah has prepared humiliating suffering for the disbelievers. (Women. “An-Nisaa”: 4: 101-102)


At this particular juncture, the surah speaks of a concession Allah gives to those who migrate or go forth on earth, either on a campaign of jihad or on business, should they fear to be taken prisoners by the disbelievers and to be subjected to hardship and pressure to turn away from their faith. The concession is to reduce prayer. This is different from shortening prayers, which is a concession given to any traveller, whether he has anything to fear from the disbelievers or not. The concession to which the passage refers is a special type. “When you go forth on earth, you will incur no sin by shortening your prayers, if you have reason to fear that the disbelievers may cause you affliction. Truly, the disbelievers are your sworn enemies.”


A person who goes forth on earth always needs badly to maintain a proper relationship with his Lord, which helps him accomplish what he sets out to do and complements his preparations and precautions. Prayers is the closest contact a man may have with Allah and the weapon with which Muslims are invited to equip themselves when they encounter hardships and difficulties. Whenever they have something to fear or a difficult task to accomplish. Allah tells them: “Seek help in steadfast perseverance and prayer.”


It is, therefore, mentioned here at the appropriate time, when it is most needed. Anyone experiencing fear or emigrating to a new homeland is in the greatest need to seek refuge with Allah. Nevertheless, prayer in its ordinary form, including its normal movements of bowing and prostration, may deprive a traveller on the road of a chance to escape ambush. On the other hand, it may attract the attention of his enemies and they may be able to identify him or to take him unawares while he bows or prostrates himself. Hence, such travellers are given the concession to reduce prayer when they have reason to be afraid.


We are more inclined to the understanding of this verse explained by Imam Al Jassass. He is of the opinion that the concession given here does not mean a reduction of the number of rakahs, so as to allow such a traveller to pray two rakahs instead of four. This type of concession is given to all travellers, whether they have such fears or not. Indeed, such a shortening is preferred for a traveller, so as to follow the example of the Prophet (Pbuh) who shortened his prayers everytime he travelled. The weightier opinion is that a traveller may not offer his prayer completely when he travels.


Hence, this new concession in the case of fear means a reduction in the form of prayer so as to pray, for example, in the standing position only, without adding any movement such as bowing, prostration or sitting in the middle or at the end of prayer. Such a traveller may offer his prayers while standing, or mounting his horse or camel, or travelling in a vehicle. He only needs to signal with his eyes other movements. In this way, he does not neglect his contact with Allah in the case of fear. Nor does he neglect his most important weapon in the battle. He is on his guard against his enemies: “Truly, the disbelievers are your sworn enemies.”


In connection with this reference to prayer as offered by travellers who go forth on earth while experiencing at the same time fear of what the disbelievers may do to them, the form of prayer is outlined as offered by those who are in the battlefield. A number of psychological and educational touches are added to this particular piece of legislation. “When you are with the believers and about to lead them in prayer, let one party of them stand up with you and hold to their weapons. Then, after they have prostrated themselves, let them be behind you, while the other party, who have not yet prayed, shall come forward and pray with you, and let these be on their guard, holding on to their weapons. The disbelievers would love to see you oblivious of your weapons and your equipment, so that they might swoop on you with one assault. But it is no offense for you to lay down your arms if you are bothered by heavy rain or suffering from illness, but you must always be on your guard. Allah has prepared humiliating suffering for the disbelievers.”


Anyone who tries to fathom the secrets of the divine method of education represented by the Qur’an will be amazed at the great number of psychological touches which penetrate deep into the human soul. Here we have an example in the case of prayer in the battlefield. The Qur’anic verse which we are looking at today does not merely aim to explain the rulings concerning prayer in a state of fear. What we have here is the part of the Qur’anic efforts of educating the Muslim community in order to help the individual as well as the community take their proper shape.


The first thing which draws our attention is the determination to maintain prayer even in the battlefield. Yet, this is only natural from the point of view of faith. Since prayer is the main weapon in the battle, its use must be regulated in a way suitable to a military battle. Those men whose education was accomplished through the Qur’an and in accordance with the divine method used to face their enemies with the one weapon which gives them superiority over all others. They were superior because they believed in one God whom they knew very well and who they were certain will be with them in the battle. Another factor in their superiority is that they believed in a most noble cause for which they fought. Moreover, their concept of the universe, life and the purpose of human existence, as well as their social system were elements which added to their superiority. Prayer symbolised all that and reminded them of it. Hence, it worked as a weapon, indeed the most effective weapon in the battle.


The next point which attracts our attention in this verse is the total spiritual mobilisation against the enemy as well as the warning to the believers to maintain total awareness of their enemy and what moves it may take. The enemies of the believers maintain a round-the clock watch hoping for a moment of relaxation when the believers may lose sight of their weapons and equipment, so that they might swoop on the believers with one assault. These warnings are coupled with reassurance and encouragement to the believers. They are told that they are only facing an enemy who is certain to be humbled: “Allah has prepared humiliating suffering for the disbelievers.” Establishing such a balance between warning and confidence, emphasis of the need to be extra careful and giving reassurance, is characteristic of the divine method of educating believers and the Muslim community as a whole and preparing it to face its wicked enemies.