UNINFLUENCED BY FALSEHOOD

In chapter 48 of the Quran, the qualities of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions are described. At a primary level, these refer to the companions themselves. However, these are also traits that are expected of all Muslims after them.

One of these qualities is: firm against disbelievers and compassionate among themselves (ashiddāʾu ʿala-l-kuffār, ruḥamāʾu baynahum). This does not mean that Muslims should treat one another kindly but become harsh when dealing with people of other faiths. It does not imply that they should adopt a hostile or aggressive attitude toward others.

In this verse, ashiddāʾu ʿala-l-kuffār carries the same meaning as aʿizzah ʿala-l-kāfirīn (Quran, 5:54). In Arabic, the phrase huwa ʿazīz ʿalayya means: “he is so firm that I cannot overpower him.” The word shadīd (strong) conveys a similar idea. According to Lisan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzur (Vol. 3, pp. 232-235), the root meaning of shiddah is firmness or hardness. A rocky land that does not absorb water is called ṣalb (solid). In the same way, in this verse, shadīd conveys the idea of being inwardly unaffected.

In his renowned dictionary, Lisan al-‘Arab (Vol. 3, p. 235), Ibn Manzur, under the entry for shadīd, cites a line from a pre-Islamic poet who says:“I do not yield to harsh words, even if they are harder than iron.”

From this explanation, it becomes clear that ashiddāʾ in this verse refers to inner resilience, not external severity. It highlights a deep inner trait of the believers: due to their firm conviction, they are not easily influenced by external pressures. Even if waves of irreligious ideologies or materialistic cultures sweep over them, they remain like stone or iron—unaffected by such influences.

They are deeply receptive to truth, but strongly resistant to falsehood.