Chapter 9 - 110
Repentance (Surah At-Tawbah)
(129 verses; revealed around Tabuk expedition – 9th year of Hijra)
(Chapter 8 and 9 are considered part of the same Surah; hence, no Bismillah in Surah 9)
Allah and His Messenger announce immunity to those polytheists with whom there is existing covenant, so they are free to move around for four months. But none can escape Allah; Allah will humiliate the disbelievers.
A similar announcement from Allah and His Messenger to all people on this day of greater Pilgrimage (ninth day of the month for Haj) that God disavows all who are polytheists. So, if they repent and mend their ways, it is good for them, but if they opt to resist, then there is no escape from Allah. Announce hereby a severe consequence to those who deny the grace of God, except those with whom you have agreements and who had neither failed in their commitment nor supported anyone against you. Therefore, you should honor such commitments until the end of their terms. Allah favors those who act responsibly.
Once the sacred months (period of no hostility) has passed, fight the polytheists wherever they engage you, take them captives, besiege them and take advantage of every opportunity they open for you; but if they repent, maintain worship with salat, purify themselves with zakat, then you should leave them free since Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. If any of the polytheists seek your protection (but do not accept your faith), protect them so that they can hear and reflect on the word of Allah and then provide them safe passage. Such courtesy is appropriate since they are uninformed. (v. 1-6)
How can there be an agreement for the polytheists from Allah and His Messenger, except what was agreed to near the Sacred Mosque1. As long as they honor the agreement with you, you should likewise honor it. Allah loves those who act responsibly. How is it that when they prevail against you, they neither respect ties of relationship nor any agreement with you? They wish to please you with deceitful words while they harbor in their hearts sentiment contrary to what they say, most of them transgress repeatedly. They have traded away Allah’s guidance for a small gain in this life and they hinder others from God’s way. It is pure evil what they do. They respect neither ties of relationship nor any covenant when it comes to a believer—they have certainly crossed the limits. If they, on the other hand, reverse their course, maintain devotion with salat and purify themselves giving zakat, then they are your fellow brother in faith. This is how We make the message clear to those who wish to know.
Therefore, if they renege their oaths after their agreement with you and spread hatred against your faith, then actively oppose them, the leaders of such denial of truth, since their oaths mean nothing, and they may be restrained. Why would you not oppose and fight these people who broke their promises, expelled the Prophet and they now attacked your first. Are you afraid of them? Is it not Allah that you need to be mindful of, if you claim to believe? Actively engage and fight them; then Allah will debase them with your hands, bring them to failure, help you against them, bring inner peace in you and relieve the pangs of rage from your hearts. Allah turns to whom He wills (with mercy and forgiveness). Indeed, God is All-Knowing, Wise! (v. 7-15)
Do you think you will be left alone while Allah is yet to ascertain who among you struggle hard and who take none as intimate friends except Allah, His Messenger and the believers? Allah is fully aware of what you do.
The polytheists are not fit to maintain the Mosques of Allah while bearing witness against themselves regarding their disbelief. Their works amount to nothing, and they will endure the consequence (in fire). Only ones who can be fit to maintain Allah’s Mosques are those who believe in Allah, the Day of Judgment, establish worship through salat, purify through zakat and fear none but Allah. These are the ones who are truly guided. (At the same time) do you really think that the mere act of giving drinks to pilgrims and maintenance of the Sacred Mosque (Kabah) are equivalent to the acts of those who not only believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment but also strives diligently and constantly in Allah’s Way (to establish truth and justice). These are not the same in the sight of Allah. Allah does not guide those who practice injustice.
Those who had achieved faith, fled (to avoid persecution) and struggled against injustice with their beings and with their resources are much nearer to Allah. They will triumph (against their adversary) in the end. Their Sustainer God gives them the good grace of His mercy and pleasure from Himself and the Garden (Jannah) full of bliss that lasts forever, specifically for them. Allah indeed has a grand reward with Him!
O Believers! Beware of your own parents and siblings if they love disbelief over belief. If you take them as confidants, then it is an act of injustice by itself. Say (Prophet), “If your family—parents, children, spouses and relative; the wealth and position you have accumulated; trade and commerce whose decline your worry about; your residence you love to dwell in, etc. are all more important and dearer to you than Allah, His Messenger and the imperative to struggle in Allah’s way (to defend truth and justice), then wait for His command to come to pass. Allah does not guide those who practice injustice and mischief.” (v. 16-24)
Allah has helped you in many battles and conflicts. But during the battle of Hunain, while you were overconfident with greater numbers, it afforded you nothing and the land with all its vastness felt constrained to you and you turned back in retreat. It is Allah who eased your anxiety, sent calm to the Prophet and the faithful around him, descended hosts (spiritual forces) that you could not see and finally routed the people who disbelieve, an outcome that is inevitable for such deniers. Allah will continue to turn His mercy to whom He wills since Allah is Forgiving, Merciful!
O Believers! Those who are polytheists are declared unclean2 (najasun) to be able to approach the sanctity of the Sacred Mosque (Kabah) after this year. If you feel that your source of income will decline, then know that Allah will enrich you out of His grace, if He wills. Allah is Aware and He is Wise!
You should continue to struggle against those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, who practices things that Allah and His Messenger had guided against, and who do not follow the True Faith, though they have been gifted the books of guidance before—until they agree to pay Jizyah (a tax for protection) willingly and once they are humbled (by your struggle and quest for justice). (v. 25-29)
(Some) followers of Moses say: Ezra is the son of Allah while (most) Christians say: The Christ is the son of Allah. These are mere assertions from their mouth. They borrowed such sayings from those who disbelieved in the past. Allah strongly condemns such assertions and conducts by which they turn away. These people take their rabbis and their monks as gods besides Allah and also include Jesus, the son of Mary as such, whereas, they have been instructed that they should serve one God—besides Whom there are no other gods. God is above all that they associate with Him. They wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their utterings whereas Allah will do nothing but perfect His Light even though these disbelievers will dislike such outcome.
He is the God who has sent His Messenger to spread the guidance and the true faith (deenul haqqi) so that it can supersede all other ways (deen), even though the polytheists (and disbeliever) may dislike such outcome.
O Believers! Surely many of the rabbis and monks consume the possession of others under false pretext and lead people away from Allah’s guidance. And those (rich people) who build up their wealth and distribute it not in the service of people will face its evil consequence. Such wealth will be branded on their face, their back and their side to remind them and for them to taste the results of such hoarding and over consumption. (v. 30-35)
The number of months established by Allah since the creation of the solar system (heaven and earth) is twelve months of which four have been designated as sacred. This is the proper discourse and do not cause injustice to yourselves by denial of this arrangement. Exert with unity against the polytheists as they fight you (first) all together. You should know that Allah is always with those who act responsibly.
Tempering (nasi’u—intercalation, delaying) is another instance of their increasing disbelief whereby those who disbelieve move farther away from guidance. Such arbitrary intercalation or adjustments, while might give semblance to observing the months made sacred by Allah, end up making a month not sacred while Allah had made it sacred. They find justification to such arrangements in their mind while Allah does not guide such acts by people who disbelieve. (v36-37)
O Believers! When you are asked to struggle in Allah’s way (for truth and justice), what causes you to disincline and cling heavily to the comfort of living on this earth? Are you more inclined to the life of this earth in preference to the life to come whereas the life of this earth is miniscule compared to the life to come? If you persist in such refusal, He will make you face its grave consequences and replace you with another community. You can do no harm to Him. Allah overpowers everything and everyone!
If you do not support him (the prophet), you should know that Allah supported him when he was driven away by the deniers of truth, he being the second of the two souls who hid in that cave and said to his companion, “Don’t be anxious, Allah is with us!” Allah sent down to them tranquility and confidence and strengthened them with forces (junudh) whom you cannot see. Allah brought down the assertions of those who denied the truth while God’s guidance (kalimatu) is always triumphant (in the long run). Allah is Supreme, Wise!
Go forth well prepared, as best as you can and afford (lightly and heavily armed), and strive hard in Allah’s way with your person and with your resources. This is a better way, if you want to know. Had they been assured of a sure gain and a shorter journey, they would have certainly gone with you, but the hard and long journey was too much for them (in their estimation). They swear by Allah: “If we are able, we would have gone forth.” Such falsity only despair their soul and Allah knows that they were lying. Allah forgives you for granting them permission to stay while (it would have been better) had you waited until it was clear to you who were truthful, and you came to know who were lying. It is only those who do not believe in Allah, the Last Day and their hearts are in doubt that ask your permission to stay as they become ambivalent in their doubt (about the truth). If they were sincere, they would have made necessary preparations, but Allah disliked their being part of this effort. So, He held them back, when it was said: “You may stay back with those who wish to stay back.” Had they gone forth with you, they would have caused trouble and go back and forth amongst you causing discord and doubts, especially those who were prone to such conversations. Allah knows well who the troublemakers are! (v. 38-47)
These people have tried to create discord before, and they planned against you (prophet and his followers) until the truth became manifest. Thus, Allah’s command prevailed even though they dislike it. There are people among them who say: “Leave me alone and try me not,” whereas they were already deep in such trials and the evil consequences (hell) have already encompassed the deniers of truth. If fortunes come to you (prophet and his followers), they grieve whereas if a hardship falls on you, they turn away rejoicing and say: “See, how we have taken care of ourselves.” Say to them: “Nothing will fall on us except what Allah has ordained. He is our Protector and on Allah all believers rely. Do you perhaps wait (hoping bad things for us) whereas only one of two good outcomes can come to us – that Allah will bring about your evil consequences directly from Himself or through our efforts. Therefore, you wait, and we wait patiently as well.”
Say to them: “Whether you support our causes willingly or as a show, it will make no difference, since you have already proven your transgression.” The reason their effort is no longer meaningful is that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Messenger, their prayer and worship is done without sincerity, and their giving, if any, is done with reluctance (to save face).
Their wealth and their children should not cause any envy from you. These are means by which Allah tries them in this world and enables condition by which they persist in their disbelief and denials till their death. They invoke Allah to assert that they are with you while they are not; it is because they are afraid. If they had the means or availability of a refuge—a place or a cave, they would have taken advantage of those in a hurry. There are some of them who express unhappiness with your distribution of charity. If they are given some, they are happy and if they receive none, they are full of anger, whereas, if they were content with allocations made by Allah and His Messenger and said instead: “Allah is sufficient for us. Perhaps Allah will give (in future) out of His grace and His prophet as well. It is to Allah that we express our desires.” (v. 48-59)
Charity (sadaqah)3 should be directed to (1) meet the need of the poor and otherwise needy, (2) bear expenses for those employed to administer the fund, (3) support those whose hearts incline to (faith, truth and justice), (4) (to free) people from captivity and debt, (5) those who strive selflessly in God’s way (establish truth and justice) and (6) travelers (away from home). This is an obligation from Allah. Allah is Knowing and Wise! (v. 60)
There are people who harass the Prophet and say: “He listens to everyone,” whereas he hears all that is good for you. He believes in Allah, believes in the faithful and is a mercy to those who are faithful amongst you. Those who malign the prophet of Allah, there will be adverse consequences for them. They swear by Allah to make a positive impression to you whereas Allah and His Messenger are asking that you please Allah if you truly believe. These people should be aware that anyone who opposes Allah and His Messenger will face its consequence (the fire of Hell)—this is a grave disgrace!
These hypocrites are constantly in fear that a revelation will come which will expose what is on their minds. Say: “Go on mocking (if you will); Allah will bring to light what you wish to hide.” If you ask them, they will make excuse: “We were only sporting and engaged in idle talk.” Say: “Was it Allah, His messages and His Messenger that you were making fun of? Make no excuse as you have gone back to disbelief after affirming your faith. Even if We (God) forgive a group of you (seeking genuine forgiveness), another group will face the consequence since they are consumed in evil.
Hypocritical men and hypocritical women are all alike—they engage in evil, hinder people from good and offer no charity. They have abandoned Allah; likewise, He has abandoned them. These hypocrites have transgressed (too far). Allah’s disposition with respect to those who are hypocrites and disbelievers is the evil consequence of their hypocrisy—fire of Hell and Allah’s displeasure, a consequence with lasting impact! (v. 61-68)
(Recall) those before you—they enjoyed the gift of wealth and family and were (even) stronger than you. They took the easy way to enjoy what they were given, and you also did the same as did those of your previous generations. You engage in idle talk and sporting about life as they did. For them, their life and work came to nothing in this world and in the hereafter and in the end they did not profit from this life. Did not the stories of such people reached you already —the community of Noah, the A’d, Thamud, the people of Abraham, the residents of Midian and in cities that were turned upside down? Messengers came to them with guidance, clearly articulated and reasoned with. Allah was not unjust to them, but they suffered the consequence of their own transgression.
Believing men and women are each other’s caretakers. They strive (together) to establish what is good, struggle against evil, establish salat, pay zakat and align themselves with the guidance from God and His Messenger. These are the people who deserved to have Allah’s mercy and support. God is Ever Mighty, Wise!
Allah had promised to the faithful—men and women - gardens of peace and plenty, to reside in them and a good life in such gardens of perpetuity (jannati adhnin). The greatest of all success is Allah’s good grace—best of all achievements and grandeur that are possible! (v. 69-72)
O Prophet, struggle hard against those who disbelieve, those who practice hypocrisy and be firm in your stance against them. They are destined to an evil place—hell is where they will reside. They swear by Allah that they said nothing whereas they had certainly spoken word of disbelief after their acceptance of Islam and sought objectives that were beyond their reach while Allah and His Messenger enriched them out of His grace which they deny and wish to find fault in. So, if they reverse their course of action, it will make things good for them but if they persist, then Allah will make them face the consequence in this life and in the hereafter. On this earth they will find no friend and no helper.
From among them are those who made a promise (a’hada) with Allah: If He gives us from His grace, we will surely dedicate some of it to charity and lead a righteous life. But when He gave them from His grace, they became miserly, forgot their promise and turned away. Therefore, God lets hypocrisy persist in their hearts till the day they will meet Him —because they disregarded their covenant to Allah and lied (about their intent). Do they not realize that Allah is fully aware of their inner desires and their secret planning? Allah is the Knower of all that is unseen and unknown (Ghu-ubi)? (v. 73-78)
There are those (hypocrites) who tease believers who donate freely and mock those who cannot find anything to give but their hard labor. Allah will requite their mockery and they will face serious consequences, irrespective of whether you (Prophet) ask for their forgiveness or not, even if you ask for forgiveness multiple times. Allah will not forgive them because they deny Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not guide those who transgress repeatedly.
Those (hypocrites) who stayed back were glad to be not following the Messenger of Allah, precisely because they were disinclined to strive in Allah’s way with their persons and property. They even said: “Do not go out in the heat (of the desert).” Tell them: “The heat of hellfire will be even more intense if you could only comprehend. Let them laugh a little (at this time) as they will commiserate a lot (in the end)—it is the consequence of what they do (or do not). If an occasion arises when Allah brings you back to them and they ask for your permission to join in, say to them: “Never will you go with me and never will you fight an enemy on my behalf. You chose to stay back the first time and (now) you will sit with those who stay back.” They do not deserve your prayer on their death or that you stand by their graves, because they denied Allah and His Messenger, and they died in a state of repeated transgressions. (v. 79-84)
Their wealth and their families (ease of life) should not incline you to them with admiration. Allah only intends to have them suffer its consequences while in this world and let their soul depart from them while they are still in denial. When a chapter (surah) is revealed asking them to confirm their faith in Allah and to strive hard along with the His Messenger, the wealthy among them ask for exemption and request: “Let us be with those who wish to stay back.” They would rather stay back as if their hearts were sealed, disarming them to comprehend (their responsibilities).
As for the Messenger and those who are with him struggling hard with their lives and their possessions are worthy of goodness of life and they will become successful. Allah has prepared for them Gardens with flowing fountains (peace and plenty) to reside in; they are the real successful! (v. 85-89)
Some of the tribes came to seek exemption (from Tabuk campaign) while others stayed at home in a state of denial of Allah and His Messenger. There are serious consequences for those who deny and remain ungrateful. But those who are weak or sick or have no means and they were sincere with Allah and His Messenger will have no blame to suffer. There is no way a doer of good can be blamed. Allah is Ever Forgiving, Merciful!
Neither can there be any blame who came to you looking for transport and provision, but you said: “I have no more provision and transport to give you.” As such they went back, full of sorrow, that they were unable to support themselves to participate. The blame is due on those who came to you to seek exemption though they had means. They choose deliberately to stay back with others. Allah let their hearts stay sealed, so they are unable to comprehend.
These people will offer excuses (again) when you are back. Say to them: “Make no more excuses—we are not willing to believe you (anymore). Allah had informed us of your affairs. Allah and His Messenger will continue to observe your conducts; eventually you will find yourselves back to the Allah, the Knower of all that is exposed and hidden and He will make you comprehend what you did.” They will swear by Allah when you are back so that you leave them be (without any repercussion). So, leave them alone; they are unworthy (rizsun) and will suffer the consequences (of hell)—a rightful result for what they strive for!
Their swearing is only to be in your good grace. While you may be inclined to them, Allah is not pleased with people who repeatedly and deliberately transgress, especially the Bedouins, who are filled with denial and hypocrisy and fail to know the meaning and boundary of what Allah reveals as guidance to His Messenger. Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom! These Bedouins takes these calls for spending as an undue burden and wait for misfortune to fall on you. The turn of misfortune is really on them. Allah is Hearing, Knowing!
But there are among them those who do have faith in Allah and in the Last Day and consider what they need to spend (for common cause) as a mean to come closer to Allah and to secure good grace of the Messenger. Indeed, they achieve such closeness (to Allah) and Allah will take them into His mercy. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful! (v. 90-99)
The forerunners of the early immigrants (from Makkah) and the helpers (from Madinah) and those who followed them in goodness—Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. God has prepared for them Gardens with flowing streams where they will reside forever. This is the ultimate triumph and achievement.
(In contrast) there are hypocrites among the Bedouins who lives around you and of the people of this town (Madinah) who persist in hypocrisy. You do not know them but We (God) know them. They will face the consequence of their condition twice and will be driven to the final sequel of severe consequence. And there are others who have acknowledged their failings—they confounded their good works with evil deeds. Perhaps Allah will incline to them since Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. You should accept their charity (and good works) so that they can cleanse themselves and offer prayer for them so that they can continue to grow. Your prayer is a source of comfort for them. Allah certainly hears, and He knows. Don’t they know that Allah is always approving of repentance from His servants and accepting of their good charity? Allah is Forgiving and Merciful!
Say: “Do good work. Allah is watching and so are the Messenger and your fellow people of faith. You will eventually come face to face with God Who knows what is exposed and what is hidden, and He will inform you about your pursuits and your conducts.” There are others about whom Allah has not given His final determination—who He will make to face the consequence or who to show His mercy. Allah is Knowing, Wise! (v. 100-106)
There are those who built a mosque to cause harm4, create doubt in faith, cause disunity among the faithful and to host him who declared war against Allah and His Messenger in the past. They will swear by it that they mean nothing but good whereas Allah bear His own witness that they are clearly telling a lie. You shall never stand in it! A mosque built on the foundation of God consciousness and accountability from the beginning is more suitable for you to stand in—in it are people driven to cleans themselves (and to grow spiritually). God loves those who wish to cleanse (and grow)!
Who is better—one who lays his/her foundation on God consciousness (taqwa), a deep sense of accountability and strives for Allah’s grace or the one who lays his foundation on the edge of a crumbling riverbank, bound to break apart with him into the fire of their evil consequence (hell)? Allah does not afford guidance to people who are corrupt and unjust! The institution which they have built will become a source of disquiet in their hearts till their hearts are broken to total dismay. Allah Knows and He is Wise! (v. 107-110)
Indeed, God had bargained the lives and possessions of the faithful in exchange for the reward of the Garden (Jannah). They struggle in Allah’s way—sometimes they gain the upper hand, other times they lose. This is an arrangement (promise) Allah had committed to in the Torah, the Bible and this Qur’an; and who is more committed to his promise than Allah? Therefore, be glad at this bargain you have made; this is the source of the greatest achievement. (Such faithful are the ones) who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship Him, who praise Him, who journeys (in the way of God), who bow down, who prostrate themselves to God, who actively encourage what is good and actively work against all that is evil and who live within the bound of what Allah had guided them to. (O prophet), inform such faithful of the good outcome (they had bargained for).
It is not proper for the Prophet and the faithful to seek forgiveness from Allah for those polytheists, even if they are from among your relatives, if it had become known that they had indeed been unfaithful. When Abraham asked for forgiveness for his father, it was because of a promise he made to his father but once it became clear to him that his father was an enemy to Allah, he distanced himself from his father. Abraham was, as always, soft-hearted and forbearing.
It is not godly that Allah should drive people to disbelief and evil after He has given them guidance and made clear to them what the boundaries are to live by. Allah is Aware of all things. His is the dominion over the universe and the earth. He controls life and causes death. Besides Allah, you have no other protectors or helpers. (v111-116)
Allah indeed relented to the Prophet, the immigrants (from Makkah) and the helpers (from Madinah) who followed him throughout the hardship (of Tabuk expedition and prior difficult undertakings), even as some were tempted to deviate (from the task at hand); He tuned to them in mercy as well. Allah is ever Gentle and Merciful to them, including those three who failed to join. The earth, despite its vastness, was constraining to them (social isolation) and their own souls felt confined (sense of guilt and failure) such that they fully realized that they have no one to turn to but Allah; Allah relented to them so that they might repent to Him. Allah is Ever Relenting and Merciful!
O Believers! Maintain your sense of duty and commitment and always be with those who are truthful. It is inappropriate for the citizens of Madinah and the Bedouins from the surrounding areas to remain behind (despite a call from the Prophet) and to prefer their lives to his. Whatever afflictions you may suffer of thirst or hunger or fatigue in pursuit of truth and justice (Allah’s way) or traverse a path (or purpose) that might enrage the disbelievers or any triumph or failure you suffer from your adversary, all are written down in your account for good work. Any support you provide, large or small (for common cause) and a distant journey (deliberate effort) you take, it is documented so that Allah may compensate you for your works.
The communities of the faithful should not go forth all together. It is better that some from every community should refrain from going for (war or journey) to devote time and effort to improve their understanding of their religion so that they may guide their communities, including those who when they come back - all can be mindful. (v. 117-122)
O Believers! Struggle against those who are steeped into disbelief, whom you know well and let them find constancy in your stance against them. You should know that God aids those who are conscientious and act responsibly!
Any time a new chapter (of the Qur’an) is revealed, some of the deniers say: “Whose faith has been increased by this revelation?” But those who have attained faith already, such revelations certainly enhance their faith further along and they are assured. As for those whose heart is perverse, such revelations only add to their perversity and denial, and they approach the end of their lives in continued denial. Do they not realize that they are being put to test once or twice every year, yet they neither change their mind nor become mindful? Any time a new chapter is revealed (exposing them), they look at one another and say: “Does anyone see you?” and then they turn away. Allah had allowed their hearts to turn away—they are a people who are unwilling to understand and reflect.
Certainly, a Messenger (of God) has come to you, being from your own community. Paramount in his mind is his concern for your wellbeing and that no difficulties come to you; and for the faithful, he is full of empathy and caring. (Despite such care) if people still turn away, then say: “Allah alone is sufficient! There is no god but He. I do rely on Him and He is the Command and Control of our world!” (v. 123-129)
1 Parties to Hudaiybiyyah peace treaty in 6 A.H.
2 5:90 also declares drug, intoxicant, game of chances, idols etc. to be unclean as well. Some believe that since disbeliever do not undergo ritual ablution, they are specifically restricted from Kabah, though a minority opinion also includes any mosque for that matter.
3 Many interpret this to mean Zakat – an obligatory commitment to share from one’s wealth at a fixed percentage (2.5%) each year. If we assume that this really means charity, then some level of charitable giving, based on one’s income/wealth is also obligatory but the amount is left to each persons discretion, allowing one to add on top of zakat or give simply as sadaqah.
4 Abu Amr, a false prophet from the tribe to Banu Ghanam instructed some people to build a mosque near the ‘mosque of Quba’ to cause divisions and assert his opposition to the Prophet and harm Muslims
[Recitation]
