Surah An-Nisa Ayat 29 (4:29 Quran) With Tafsir

Ala-Maududi

(4:29) Believers! Do not devour one another’s possessions wrongfully; rather than that, let there be trading by mutual consent.^[50] You shall not kill yourselves.^[51] Surely Allah is ever Compassionate to you.^[52]

50. The expression ‘wrongfully’ embraces all transactions which are opposed to righteousness and which are either legally or morally reprehensible. By contrast, trade’ signifies the mutual transfer of benefits between the parties concerned, such as that underlying those transactions in which one person provides whatever satisfies the needs of another person and is paid in return. ‘Mutual consent’ means that the exchange should be free of undue pressure, fraud and deception. Although bribery and interest apparently represent transactions based on mutual consent, closer examination reveals that such consent takes place by constraint and under pressure. In games of chance, too, the participants seem to consent freely to the outcome. This kind of consent, however, is due to the expectation entertained by the participants that they will win. No one takes part anticipating loss. Fraudulent transactions also seem to be based on the mutual consent of the parties concerned. That kind of consent, however, is based on the false assumption that no fraud is involved in the transaction. Nobody who knew that he would be subjected to fraud would consent to be a party to that transaction.

51. This can be considered either as complementary to the preceding sentence or as an independent statement. If it is complementary, it means that to consume the property of others by wrongful means is tantamount to courting one’s own destruction; for such practices corrupt society on such a scale that even the most cunning are not spared their destructive consequences. This is in addition to the severe punishment that is bound to be meted out to such people in the Next Life. Taken as an independent statement, it can mean either that one should not kill others or that one should not kill oneself. Both the words used and the sequence in which they have been placed by God in this verse make each of these three meanings feasible.

52. God wishes His creatures well; their well-being and salvation please Him, and it is out of benevolence that He has forbidden things harmful to human beings.

Ibn-Kathir

29. O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. 30. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allah. 31. If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).

Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, prohibits His believing servants from illegally acquiring each other’s property using various dishonest methods such as Riba, gambling and other wicked methods that appear to be legal, but Allah knows that, in reality, those involved seek to deal in interest. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on a man who buys a garment, saying that if he likes it he will keep it, or he will return it along with an extra Dirham, “This is what Allah meant, when He said, o

(Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly.”) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, “When Allah sent down,

(O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly) some Muslims said, `Allah has forbidden us from eating up each other’s property unjustly, and food is our best property. Therefore, none among us is allowed to eat from anyone else’s food.’ After that Allah sent down,

(There is no restriction on the blind) (until the end of the Ayah). ﴿24:61﴾.”’ Qatadah said similarly. Allah’s statement,

(except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent.) means, do not revert to illegal ways and means to acquire money. However, there is no harm in commercial transactions that transpire between the buyer and the seller with mutual consent, so that money is legally earned from these transactions. Mujahid said that,

(except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent.) means, “By selling and buying, or giving someone a gift.” Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.

Mutual agreement in various transactions is attained when both parties have the right to uphold or dissolve the agreement before they part. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,

(The seller and the buyer retain the (right to change their mind) as long as they have not parted.) Al-Bukhari’s wording for this Hadith reads,

(When two men conduct a transaction, they retain their (right to change their mind) as long as they have not parted.)

Allah said,

(And do not kill yourselves.) by committing Allah’s prohibitions, falling into sin and eating up each other’s property unjustly,

(Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.) in what He commanded you and prohibited you from. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amr bin Al-`As said that when the Prophet sent him for the battle of Dhat As-Salasil, “I had a wet dream during a very cold night and feared that if I bathed, I would die. So I performed Tayammum (with pure earth) and led my company in the Dawn prayer. When I went back to the Messenger of Allah , I mentioned what had happened to me and he said,

(O `Amr! Have you led your people in prayer while you were in a state of sexual impurity) I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I had a wet dream on a very cold night and feared that if I bathed I would perish, and I remembered Allah’s statement,

(And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you). So I performed Tayammum and prayed.’ The Messenger of Allah smiled and did not say anything.” This is the narration reported by Abu Dawud. Ibn Marduwyah mentioned this honorable Ayah and then reported that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever kills himself with an iron tool, then his tool will be in his hand and he will keep stabbing himself with it in the Fire of Jahannam, forever and ever. Whoever kills himself with poison, then his poison will be in his hand and he will keep taking it in the Fire of Jahannam forever and ever. Whoever kills himself by throwing himself from a mountain, will keep falling in the Fire of Jahannam forever and ever.) This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs. Abu Qilabah said that Thabit bin Ad-Dahhak said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Whoever kills himself with an instrument, will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection.) This Hadith was collected by the Group. This is why Allah said,

(And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, ) meaning, whoever commits what Allah has forbidden for him transgression and injustice – while knowing that it is forbidden for him, yet he still dares to commit it,

(We shall cast him into the Fire,). This Ayah carries a stern warning and a truthful promise. Therefore, every sane person should beware of it, those who hear the speech with full comprehension.

Allah said,

(If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins,) meaning, if you avoid the major evil deeds that you were prohibited We will forgive you the minor evil deeds and will admit you into Paradise. This is why Allah said,

(and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).) There are several Hadiths on the subject of this honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that Salman Al-Farisi said, “The Prophet said to me, `Do you know what the day of Al-Jumu`ah is’ I said, `It is the day during which Allah brought together the creation of your father (Adam).’ He said,

(I know what the day of Jumu`ah is. Anyone who takes a bath and cleans himself as much as he can and then proceeds for the Friday prayer and remains quiet until the Imam finishes the prayer, all his sins in between the present and the next Friday will be forgiven, as long as major sins were avoided.)” Al-Bukhari recorded similar wording from Salman Al-Farisi.

What are the Seven Destructive Sins In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Avoid the seven great destructive sins.) The people inquired, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What are they’ He said,

(To join others in worship along with Allah, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, magic, to consume Riba, to consume an orphan’s wealth, to turn away from the enemy and flee from the battlefield when the battle begins, and to accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything that would tarnish their chastity and are good believers.) Another Hadith that mentions False Witness Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah mentioned the major sins, or was asked about the major sins. He said,

(Associating others with Allah in worship, killing the life, and being undutiful to the parents.) He then said,

قال:

(Should I tell you about the biggest of the major sins The false statement – or the false testimony.)” Shu`bah – one of the narrators of the Hadith – said, “Most likely, in my opinion, he said, `False testimony.”’ The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith from Shu`bah from Anas. Another Hadith In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah said that his father said, “The Prophet said,

(Should I inform you about the greatest of the great sins) We said, `Yes, O Allah’s Messenger !’ He said,

(To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one’s parents.) He was reclining, then he sat up and said;

(And I warn you against false testimony and false speech.) and he continued repeating it until we wished that he would stop.” Another Hadith that mentions killing the Offspring In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, “I asked, `O Allah’s Messenger! What is the greatest sin’ ﴿(in one narration) the biggest sin﴾’ He said,

(To make a rival for Allah while He Alone created you.) I said, `Then’ He said,

(To kill your offspring for fear that he might share your food with you. ) I said, `Then’ He said,

(To commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.) He then recited,

(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah), until,

(Except those who repent).” Another Hadith from `Abdullah bin `Amr Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Prophet said,

(The greatest sins are: To join others in worship with Allah, to be undutiful to one’s parents – or to take a life) Shu`bah was uncertain of which one – (and the false oath). Recorded by Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasai. Another Hadith by `Abdullah bin `Amr about Causing one’s Parents to be Cursed `Abdullah bin `Amr said that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Among the worst of the major sins is for a man to curse his own parents.) They said, “How can one curse his own parents” He said,

(One curses another man’s father, and that man curses his father in retaliation, or he curses someone’s mother and that man curses his mother.) This is the wording of Muslim. At-Tirmidhi said, “Sahih.” It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,

(Cursing a Muslim is a sin and fighting him is Kufr.)