Surah At-Tawba (9): Read Online and Download - English Translation

The opening sentence of the sixth verse (48): لَقَدِ ابْتَغَوُا الْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ (They sought disorder even earlier...) refers to what had happened in the battle of 'Uhud.

The statement وَظَهَرَ‌ أَمْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ وَهُمْ كَارِ‌هُونَ (… and the will of Allah prevailed, though they disliked it) at the end of the verse indicates that victory is in the hands of Allah. This has been proved on earlier occasions when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was blessed with victory. The same will happen in this Jihad as well when all tricks played by hypocrites will fail.

In the seventh verse (49), after citing a particular excuse made by a noted hypocrite called Jadd ibn Qays, a comment has been made which shows how astray he had gone. The excuse for not going on Jihad he came up with was that he happened to be a young man. If he went out against the Roman Christians in their territory, there were chances that he might fall into the snare of their beautiful women! (` Do not expose me to an ordeal' ) The Qur'an responded by saying: أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا (Look! they have already fallen into an ordeal). It means that such people were not very smart. They were trying to hide behind the excuse of an imaginary ordeal, not realizing that they had already fallen into the sin of a certain ordeal, the ordeal of acting against the command of Allah and His Messenger, and of deserting the Jihad effort, right on the spot.

The last sentence of the verse: وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَافِرِ‌ينَ (and certainly the Jahannam has the disbelievers encircled) could have two meanings. It could either mean that the Hell would encircle them in the Hereafter. Or, it could mean that the very chain of causes, which are operating to take them to Hell, and which have them all encircled at that time, are what has been equated with Hell. Given this interpretation, it would suggest that they happen to be, even now, within the larger circle of nothing but Hell.

In the eighth verse (50), yet another aspect of their low nature has been mentioned by saying that, though these people live among Muslims giving the outward impression that they are one of them, but they are soon exposed by their inner reactions to what happens to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The text illustrates it by saying: إِن تُصِبْكَ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ (If some good comes to you, it annoys them) and: وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُوا قَدْ أَخَذْنَا أَمْرَ‌نَا مِن قَبْلُ وَيَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُمْ فَرِ‌حُونَ (and if some suffering visits you, they say, "We had already taken care of our problem" ). They would take it as expedient in their favour that they did not go along with Muslims and found the results satisfying enough to go away delighted.

In the ninth verse (51), Allah Ta` ala has instructed the Holy Prophet ﷺ and Muslims, that they should not allow themselves to be affected by things like that said by the hypocrites and that they must always keep reality as it is before them. The words of the Holy Qur'an are:. قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّـهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّـهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿51﴾ (Say, "Nothing , can ever reach us except what Allah has written for us. He is our Master. And in Allah alone the believers must place their trust" ). In other words, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is being asked that he should tell those, who worship material causes such as these, that they were in a serious deception. These material causes were no more than a curtain. The power that moves inside them belongs to none but Allah. Whatever happens to us is exactly whatever Allah has written for us - and He, is our Master, Guardian and Helper. And Muslims must place their real trust in Him alone. Consequently, they must see material causes as no more than effective agents and signs while never taking them to be the real dispensers of any good or evil.

Belief in Destiny includes Management of affairs: Giving Inaction or Mismanagement the name of Trust is Wrong

This verse (51) brings into sharp focus the essential reality of the religious issue of Taqdir (destiny) and Tawakkul (trust). The outcome of believing in Taqdir and Tawakkul should never be that one goes home, sits tight, does nothing and says what will be will be. This is no belief in destiny and this is no practice of trust. Instead, the thing to do is that one should devote full personal energy and courage to put together whatever lawful material means one can arrange for - within the range of what lies in control. After this has been done, the matter should be resigned to destiny and trust. However, the caveat is that one has to keep his or her sight trained toward Allah alone - for it is He who has the ultimate outcome of everything one does under His absolute power and control.

Speaking generally, people around the world are found in great confusion about the religious problem of Taqdir and Tawakkul. Some of them are plain irreligious. They just do not recognize the very possibility that something like that exists. They are content with material means as the deity they are comfortable with. Then, there are other people who lack proper awareness. They have turned destiny and trust into a pretext for their sloth and inertia. The Prophet of Islam, may the blessing of Allah and peace be upon him, made full preparation for Jihad, after which, the revelation of this verse put an end to this cycle of excess and deficiency and showed the right way - as put in the lively Persian saying: بر توکل زانوے اشتربہ بند (With Tawakkul [ trust ], do tie the knees of the camel). To sum up, means which you have the option to utilize, are nothing but blessings given by Allah Ta` ala. Not taking ad-vantage of these means is ingratitude, even stupidity. Of course, do not give means the status they do not have and believe that results and outcomes are not subservient to these means - instead of all that, they obey the command of Allah Almighty.

The tenth verse (52), while mentioning the charming demeanor of the man of true faith, has given an answer to hypocrites delighted over the discomfort of Muslims. According to the man of true faith, the thing that hypocrites take as suffering for Muslims and which makes them happy is really no suffering for them. In fact, it is another form of comfort and success. The reason is that a man of true faith becomes deserving of eternal returns and rewards even after having failed in his strong resolve, something that is the real objective of all his successes. Therefore, he succeeds, even in failure and gains, even in loss.

The first sentence of the verse: قُلْ هَلْ تَرَ‌بَّصُونَ بِنَا إِلَّا إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْن (Say, "Is it not that you are expecting for us but one of the two good things [ martyrdom and victory ] "?) means exactly this. However, along with it, it was also said that the fate of the disbelievers was quite contrary for they will find no respite from suffering or punishment under any condition. Either, they would be punished at the hands of Muslims right here in this world, in which case, they will taste the punishment in the mortal and the eternal world both. And, in case, they somehow escaped unscathed in the mortal world, there is no possibility of deliverance from the punishment of the Hereafter.

Commentary

Mentioned in the previous verses were bad morals and bad deeds of the hypocrites. The same subject continues in the verses quoted above. As for the statement in verse 55 -- where it has been declared that the wealth and children of hypocrites should not be taken as a blessing for them as these are, in fact, a form of punishment from Allah -- it has a reason. Is it not that love for and engrossment in worldly life becomes a punishment right here in this world? One starts with desires to acquire worldly wealth, then goes through a series of hard work to establish the necessary channels, day in and day out, sacrificing sleep, comfort and family life. After that, if one succeeds, come the concerns of increasing and retaining it - a round the clock punishment indeed. A serious loss or sickness could become unwelcome cans of worries, and if one happens to get everything one wants, the vicious circle continues either through apprehensions of decreasing wealth or cravings of increasing it further. There is just no respite anytime.

Finally, these things go out of one's hands. This may happen at the time of death, or much earlier. Whenever it does, despair takes over. What is this, if not punishment? Man surrounds himself with articles of comfort and calls it comfort. Real comfort, the peace and comfort of the heart is something man has yet to find. But, in the meantime, man has to rely on material means and things for satisfaction, not realizing that these agents will keep snatching away his share of peace in this world and will also become the prelude to the punishment in the world to come.

Can Sadaqah be given to a disbeliever?

The last two verses show that the hypocrites used to receive a share from properties available as Sadaqat (plural of Sadaqah, meaning a donation through which one seeks reward with Allah Ta` ala, usually referred to as alms or charity). But, when they did not get these as they wished, they became angry and started accusing and cursing. If, at this place, Sadaqat are taken in their general sense - which includes all Sadaqat, necessary (wajib) and voluntary (nafl) - then, there is no problem, because non-Muslims can be given out of the voluntary Sadaqat. This is permissible on the basis of the consensus of Muslim Ummah and stands proved from Sunnah. However, even if Sadaqat at this place mean what is obligatory, like Zakah and ` Ushr, then, we should remember that the hypocrites were given a share from it on the basis that they claimed to be Muslims. Since they claimed to believe in all the necessary articles of faith and their kufr was hidden in their hearts, with no conclusive proof in their apparent claims they were treated as Muslims to the extent of this worldly life and Allah Ta` ala had, in His wisdom, given the orders that the hypocrites should be treated as Muslims. (Bayan a1-Qur'an)

Signs of Hypocrites and Warning for Muslims

In verse 54, two signs of hypocrites have been given: (1) they come to the Sa ل ah lazily and listlessly, and (2) that they spend in the way of Allah unwillingly.

Muslims have been warned here that sloth in Salah and being sour at heart while spending in the way of Allah, that is, Zakah and Sadaqah, are signs of nifaq (hypocrisy). All Muslims should make conscious effort to stay safe from these signs.