People’s Responsibilities about Maintaining Cohesion in Islamic Society
This is according to Hani Chitchian, a member of the Quran and Etrat School of the University of Tehran, speaking in the 19th session in a series on Surah At-Tawbah. Following are excerpts from his remarks in the session:
In Madani Surahs, when there is call, it addresses all people and all members of the Islamic society. (In interpretation of this Surah), we earlier discussed groups that can cause harm. Now we get to verses that address all members of the Muslim society, whether they are true believers or hypocrites, etc.
The phrase “O you who believe!” addresses all people who are in the Islamic society because faith has different levels and the verse is not just addressing true believers.
The Islamic society needs orders so that it can realize its cohesion. The first order is mentioned in Verse 23 of Surah At-Tawbah: “O you who believe! do not take your fathers and your brothers for Walis (guardians) if they love unbelief more than belief; and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, these it is that are the unjust”.
This is the first thing that they are told. They should not take their fathers and brothers as Wali and should not prefer disbelief to belief.
Wali here does not mean overseer. Wilayat in Arabic means two things attached to one another with a strong bond. In the culture of the Quran, Wilayat refers to my relation with both my father and my brother.
Wilayat brings about some rights and it is never without rights on both sides. We understand from this verse that because we attach importance to Wilayat, we have a Wilaya relationship with God and with His messenger and if we prefer disbelief to belief that would undermine the rights of God and the Prophet (PBUH).
So we should not accept rights on our shoulder that would overcome the rights that God has. All people in the Islamic society should be careful and make sure that their love for their interests would not overcome the love for Jihad on the path of God.
Verse 28 is a challenging one. It says: “O you who believe! the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He please; surely Allah is Knowing Wise.”
The next point is considering the disbelievers to be unclean and the need for keeping them away from the Grand Mosque (in Mecca) and then the fact that there is no need for worrying about the consequences.
