And when the command to stand for prayer was established; and the mention of the spouses for whom justice is commanded was brought forth; in the beginning of "An-Nisa"; and during it; and since the mentioned spouses here include the disbelievers; it was appropriate to follow that; after the command to be conscious of Allah; with His saying (Exalted is He): ﴿O you who have believed﴾; meaning: acknowledge faith; and since justice is extremely difficult for a person; it is for this reason that the one who embodies it needs great training; to become a firmly established characteristic; He expressed this by saying; so He said (Exalted is He): ﴿Be persistently standing firm﴾; meaning: striving in standing for the women; whom you have taken by the covenant of Allah; and you have made lawful their private parts by the word of Allah; and for others; in prayer and otherwise; from all the acts of obedience which you have pledged to fulfill.

And since the foundation of the surah is based on fulfilling the firm covenant; and fulfilling that is only made easier for the souls; and the energy in it becomes sound; and the determination for it becomes great; by reminding of the majesty of its confirmer; and the prohibition of violating its sanctity; because the covenant is only made in His name; and for the preservation of its limits; and its form; He preceded His saying: ﴿For Allah﴾; meaning: the One who encompasses everything - unlike what was mentioned in "An-Nisa" - and since it was among the terms agreed upon on the night of Al-Aqabah - the night they pledged to Islam - that they say the truth wherever they are; not fearing the blame of a blamer for the sake of Allah; (p-41) He said: ﴿Witnesses﴾; meaning: alert; preparing your understandings to the utmost degree of presence; such that nothing is blocked from it of what you wish to bear witness to; ﴿with justice﴾; meaning: with fairness; and Imam Abu Hayyan said in his commentary: that which was mentioned in the surah of "An-Nisa"; came in the context of acknowledging oneself; and the parents; and the relatives; so He began it with justice; which is fairness; and equality without favoritism towards oneself; nor a parent; nor a relative; and here it came in the context of abandoning enmities and grudges; so it began with standing for Allah; since the command to stand for Allah first restrains the believers; then it was followed by bearing witness with justice; so that which is in the context of love; and favoritism; began with what is more certain; which is justice; and that which is in the context of enmity and hatred; began with standing for Allah; so each context was suited to what was brought to it; and also the discussion of disobedience; and avoidance; and His saying: ﴿And you will never be able to be just﴾ [An-Nisa: 129]; and His saying: "And there is no blame upon either of them if they make terms of settlement"; it was appropriate to mention the precedence of justice; and here the mention of enmity was delayed; so it was appropriate that the mention of justice accompany it; and it has ended.

And when He commanded with this news, He prohibited what would obstruct it. So He said: ﴿And let not the hatred of a people﴾; meaning: let it not carry you; ﴿cause you to commit injustice﴾; meaning: to abandon the intention of justice. This can include the dislike of the wife who is a disbeliever or her being looked down upon in some of her rights due to the lowliness of her religion. So they were commanded to be just, even towards this disbelieving woman and her Muslim co-wives. And if this is the case regarding the command for justice concerning the disbeliever, what then is the assumption regarding the believer?! Then he resumed his saying - commanding after the prohibition; affirming the command of justice -: ﴿Be just﴾; meaning: strive for justice and aim for it in everything, even in these wives and in those who exceed the limits among you. Whenever they disobey Allah concerning you, obey Him regarding them. For indeed, the One who has prevented you from transgressing - out of fear of Him - will show you from the victory and the righteousness of the situation what will please you.

And when the abandonment of the intention of justice may occur for its possessor by coincidence, it would be close to piety. He said - resuming and explaining -: ﴿It is﴾; meaning: the intention of justice; ﴿closer﴾; meaning: than abandoning the intention of it; ﴿to piety﴾. And the goodness - which is included in reconciliation - is closer to it than justice. The addition of 'closer' with 'to' rather than 'than' implies a type of distance, which is an increase in encouragement - as mentioned in 'Al-Baqarah'. And when a thing cannot be except by its prerequisites, and it has been known from this that justice is a prerequisite for piety, he said - adding to the prohibition; or in a manner of: 'so be just' -: ﴿And fear Allah﴾; meaning: place between yourselves and the anger of the Most Great King a protection through goodness, in addition to justice. And it supports the view that the verse is concerning marriage, along with what was mentioned at the end of the verse of discord, which is at the beginning of 'An-Nisa', with His saying: ﴿Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing and All-Aware﴾ [An-Nisa: 35]. And the conclusion of His saying (the Exalted) at its end: ﴿And if a woman fears from her husband disinterest or aversion﴾ [An-Nisa: 128]; with His saying: ﴿Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do﴾ [An-Nisa: 128]. And the conclusion of this; with His saying - explaining what preceded -: ﴿Indeed, Allah﴾; meaning: the One who encompasses the attributes of perfection; ﴿is All-Aware of what you do﴾; for what exists between the spouses may be subtle knowledge that is beyond the grasp of anyone other than the All-Knowing and All-Aware. And Abu Hayyan said: When hatred resides in the heart, which drives one to abandon justice, He commanded with piety and mentioned the attribute of 'All-Aware'; its meaning is 'Knowledgeable'. However, it is something that is specific to what is subtle in its perception; it has ended.

'And 'witnesses'; it can be from 'testimony'; which is the presence of the heart - as has been mentioned from His saying: ﴿Or he listens while he is a witness﴾ [Q: 37] - and it can be from 'testimony'; the commonly understood type; and it clarifies the relevance in it; with the support of its intention; being after His saying: ﴿Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing of what is in the breasts﴾ [Al-Ma'idah: 7]; and with His saying (glorified and exalted is He): ﴿And whoever conceals it (p-44), then his heart is sinful﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 283]; and the conclusion of the verse of 'women'; which is in testimony; with His saying: ﴿And if you twist or turn away, then indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do﴾ [An-Nisa: 135]; just as this one is concluded similarly.