Page 111: Part 1: Distant Signs that Have Appeared and Passed

Benefit: Concerning the allusions of the Noble Quran to the virtues of the four Caliphs.

...giving them their due right, thus loving them out of love for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and not perishing alongside those who perish, and refuge is sought with Allah, the Exalted.

Benefit

An allusion praising the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the People of Consultation (Ahl al-Shura), while dispraising those who came after them and rebelled against them, may be understood from the verses in Surah al-Shura following the saying of Allah, the Exalted: {"And what is with Allah is better and more enduring"}.

For His saying: {"For those who believe and rely upon their Lord"} is an allusion to al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him).

As for his faith, it is attested to by the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): "If the faith of Abu Bakr were to be weighed against the faith of the people of the earth, the faith of Abu Bakr would outweigh them."

As for his reliance upon Allah, it is attested to by the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): "Seventy thousand of my Ummah will enter Paradise without reckoning, and Abu Bakr is among them." It was asked: "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "They are those who do not practice incantations or seek them, nor do they cauterize or have themselves cauterized, and upon their Lord they rely."

And the saying of Allah, the Exalted: {"And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive"} is an allusion to 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

As for his shunning of immoralities, it is attested to by the hadith: "You never traverse a mountain pass except that Satan traverses a mountain pass other than yours."

As for his forgiveness when angry, it is demonstrated by the hadith of 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn when he entered upon him and said: "Beware, O Ibn al-Khattab! By Allah, you do not give us plenty, nor do you judge among us with justice." Thereupon 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) became angry to the point that he intended to punish him.

Then his nephew, al-Hurr ibn Qays, said: "O Commander of the Believers, indeed Allah, the Exalted, says: {'Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant'}, and this man is among the ignorant." By Allah, 'Umar did not transgress beyond it when he heard it, and he was ever observant of the Book of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him).

And the saying of Allah, the Exalted: {"And those who have responded to their Lord and established prayer and whose affair is determined by consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend"} is an allusion to the Companions of the Shura, among whom were 'Uthman and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them).