Al Nisā’

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَارِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا

66. "And if We had decreed for them (saying): (Kill yourselves or go forth from your dwellings', they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they had done what they were admonished, it would have certainly been better for them and more efficacious for strengthening (their faith).

Here, in order to complete the previous discussion about those who sometimes felt inconvenience for the just judgements of the Prophet (S), the verse points to some laborious duties of the former nations, such as the Jews whom, after idol-worshipping and calf-worshipping, were ordained to kill each other as an atonement of that great sin, or to go out of their beloved homes. But, this group are not ordained a heavy and grave duty. If they were also enjoined to do hard duties, how could they tolerate?

These people who do not submit the judgement of the Prophet (S) upon the irrigation of a palm-plantation, how can they fulfil other trials? So, it says:

Then, it points to two advantages that result from the fulfilment of the commands of Allah, saying:

Here, the commands and ordinances of Allah have been rendered into admonishments and advices. This shows that these ordinances are not any things that benefit the Commander (Allah), but they are some advices that benefit us ourselves. It is interesting that the verse implies that the further a person paves the path of obedience of Allah (s.w.t.), the more his perseverance and steadfastness promotes. In fact, the obedience of the command of Allah is a kind of spiritual practice for human beings.