From the Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan of Ibrahim Hakki Bursevi:
وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الْأَرْضُ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ – 2:251
And if Allah had not repelled some men by others the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah is a Lord of Kindness to (His) creatures. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:251)
أو: لولا أن الله نصب السلطان، وأقام الحكام لينصفوا المظلوم من الظالم. ويردوا القوي عن الضعيف، لتواثب الخلق بعضهم على بعض، وأكل القوي الضعيفَ فيفسد النظام. أو: لولا أن الله يدفع بالشهود عن الناس في حفظ الأموال والنفوس والدماء والأعراض، لوقع الفساد في الأرض.
If God had not established the Sultan, and established rulers to save the oppressed from the oppressor and the strong from the weak, men would have set one upon the other, and the strong would have eaten the weak and the entire system would become corrupt.
أو: لولا أن الله يدفع بالشهود عن الناس في حفظ الأموال والنفوس والدماء والأعراض، لوقع الفساد في الأرض.
Or: if God did not prevent by means of witnesses over the people to preserve their wealth, their bodies, their blood and their honor, corruption would have taken place throughout the earth .
أو: لولا أن الله يدفع بأهل الطاعة والإحسان عن أهل الغفلة والعصيان، لفسد الأرض بشؤم أهل العصيان.
Or: if God did not prevent by the People of Obedience and Excellent Character (Ihsan) from the People of Heedlessness and Disobedience, the world would have been corrupted by the vile deeds of the disobedient people.
وفي الخبر عنه صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إنَّ الله يَدْفَعُ بالمُصلِّي مِنْ أمَّتِي عَمَّنْ لا يُصلي، ويمنْ يُزكيَّ عَمَّنْ لاَ يُزَكِّي، وبِمنْ يَصُومُ، عَمَّنْ لاَ يَصُوم، وبمَنْ يَحُجُّ، عَمَّنْ لاَ يَحُجُّ، وبَمَّنْ يُجاهِدُ عَمَّنْ لاَ يُجَاهِدُ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى تَرْكِ هذِهِ الأشْياءِ ما أنْظَرَهُمُ الله طَرْفة عَيْنٍ “.
And in one narration from the Prophet (s): Verily Allah repels by means of the one who prays from my nation the one who does not pray, and with the one who purifies his wealth (pays zakat) the one who does not pay his zakat, and by the one who fasts, the one who does not fast, and by the one who makes pilgrimage the one who does not make pilgrimage, and by the one who strives [in Allah’s Way] the one who does not strive [in Allah’s Way]. And if they were all to join together in leaving completely all these things, Allah would not glance at them for the blink of an eye.”
. وفي حديث آخر: ” لولا عباد الله رُكَّع، وصبية رُضَّع، لصبَّ عليكم العذاب صبّاً “.
In another hadith: “If it were not for the worshipers of Allah as they kneel, and a nursing child, Allah would pour down punishment upon you.”
. و رَوى جابر رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إن الله ليُصْلِحُ بصلاح الرجل – ولده وولدَ ولدهِ، وأهل دُوَيْرَتِه، ودويراتٍ حوله، ولا يزالون في حِفْظِ الله ما دام فيهم ” هـ. فهذا من فضل الله على عباده يصلح طالحهم بصالحهم، ويُشَفع خيارُهُم في شرارهم، ولولا ذلك لعوجلوا بالهلاك، { ولكن الله ذو فضل على العالمين }.
It was narrated that Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has rectified by means of a man’s righteousness, his son, his son’s son and the people of his neighborhood, and Allah does not cease to rectify them as long as he is among them.”
فهذا من فضل الله على عباده يصلح طالحهم بصالحهم، ويُشَفع خيارُهُم في شرارهم، ولولا ذلك لعوجلوا بالهلاك، { ولكن الله ذو فضل على العالمين }.
This is one of the favors of Allah on His servants, He corrects the sinners of them by means of their righteous and he allows the best among them to intercede for the worst of them. If not for that they would have hastened their own destruction, “but Allah is full of bounty to all creation.” (2:251)
