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Surah 9. Al-Tawba

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9:21
يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُم بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنْهُ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ وَجَنَّـٰتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُّقِيمٌ Yubashshiruhum rabbuhum bira h matin minhu wari d w a nin wajann a tin lahum feeh a naAAeemun muqeem un
Their Sustainer gives them the glad tiding of the grace [that flows] from Him, and of [His] goodly acceptance, and of the gardens which await them, full of lasting bliss,
  - Mohammad Asad
Their Rabb gives them good news of His mercy, His good pleasure, and paradise with everlasting bliss.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Their Lord gives them good news of His mercy, pleasure, and Gardens with everlasting bliss,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Their Lord giveth them good tidings of mercy from Him, and acceptance, and Gardens where enduring pleasure will be theirs;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Their Lord doth give them Glad tidings of a Mercy from Himself of His good pleasure and of gardens for them wherein are delights that endure.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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9:22
خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ Kh a lideena feeh a abadan inna All a ha AAindahu ajrun AAa th eem un
therein to abide beyond the count of time. Verily, with God is a mighty reward!
  - Mohammad Asad
They will live therein forever. Surely it is Allah with Whom is the mighty reward.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
to stay there for ever and ever. Surely with Allah is a great reward.
  - Mustafa Khattab
There they will abide for ever. Lo! with Allah there is immense reward.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They will dwell therein forever. Verily in Allah's presence is a reward the greatest (of all). 1271
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those who strive and suffer in Allah's cause are promised (1) a mercy specially from Himself, (2) His own good pleasure, (3) gardens of perpetual delight, (4) the supreme reward. Allah's own nearness. These are in gradation: (1) is a special mercy, higher than flows out to all creatures: (2) is a consciousness of Allah's good pleasure, which raises the soul above itself: (3) is that state of permanent assurance, and (4) is the final bliss, which is the sight of Allah Himself.

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9:23
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْكُفْرَ عَلَى ٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo l a tattakhi th oo a b a akum waikhw a nakum awliy a a ini ista h abboo alkufra AAal a aleem a ni waman yatawallahum minkum faol a ika humu a l thth a limoon a
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith: for those of you who ally themselves with them - it is they, they who are evildoers!31
  - Mohammad Asad

The term walayah ("alliance" or "friendship") is used in this context in the sense of an alliance against other believers, as in 3:28 . (Regarding the wider, spiritual implications of this expression, see surah {4}, note [154].) That it does not refer to "friendship" in the sense of normal human affection is obvious from the many exhortations in the Qur'an to be good to one's parents and kinsfolk; and, more explicitly, from {60:8-9}, where the believers are reminded that friendly relations with unbelievers who are not hostile to the Muslim community are permissible, and even desirable. (See also Manar X, 269 ff., where a similar interpretation is advanced.)

O believers! Do not take your fathers and your brothers as your friends if they prefer Kufr (unbelief) over Iman (belief); for those who turn away from this commandment shall be considered wrongdoers.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! Do not take your parents and siblings as trusted allies if they choose disbelief over belief. And whoever of you does so, they are the 'true' wrongdoers.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong doers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: if any of you do so they do wrong.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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9:24
قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلٌ ٱقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادٍ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ Qul in k a na a b a okum waabn a okum waikhw a nukum waazw a jukum waAAasheeratukum waamw a lun iqtaraftumooh a watij a ratun takhshawna kas a dah a wamas a kinu tar d awnah a a h abba ilaykum mina All a hi warasoolihi wajih a din fee sabeelihi fatarabba s oo h att a yatiya All a hu biamrihi wa A ll a hu l a yahdee alqawma alf a siqeen a
Say: "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure - [if all these] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God makes manifest His will;32 and [know that] God does not grace iniquitous folk with His guidance."
  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "brings about [the fulfilment of] His command". This may be an allusion to the Day of Judgment or - more probably - to the inevitable degeneration and decline of communities which place narrow self-interest above ethical values. In particular, this passage rejects the tendency to regard ties of kinship and national affiliation (expressed in the term "your clan") as the decisive factors of social behaviour, and postulates ideology ("God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause") as the only valid basis on which a believer's life - individually and socially - should rest.

O Prophet, tell them: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth that you have acquired, the business in which you fear a loss, and the homes which you like are dearer to you than Allah, His Rasool, and making Jihad (struggle) in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His decision. Allah does not guide the transgressors.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Say, 'O Prophet,' 'If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish- 'if all these' are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will. Allah does not guide the rebellious people.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrong doing folk.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Say: If it be that your fathers your sons your brothers your mates or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline; or the dwellings in which ye delight are dearer to you than Allah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious. 1272 1273
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Man's heart clings to (1) his own kith and kin-parents, children, brothers and sisters, husbands or wives, or other relatives, (2) wealth and prosperity, (3) commerce or means of profit and gain, or (4) noble buildings, for dignity or comfort. If these are a hindrance in Allah's cause, we have to choose which we love most. We must love Allah even if it involves the sacrifice of all else.

If we love our earthly ties and comforts , profits and pleasures, more than we love Allah, and therefore fail to respond to Allah's conciousness it is not Allah's cause which will suffer. Allah's purpose will be accomplished, with or without us. But our failure to respond to His will must leave us bereft of grace and guidance: "for Allah guides not the rebellious." This is of universal application. But it was strikingly illustrated in the case of those faithful ones who obeyed the Prophet's call, left the comfort of their homes in Makkah and suffered exile in Madinah, gave up their trade and their possessions, strove and fought for Allah's cause, sometimes against their own kith and kin or their own tribesmen who were enemies of Islam. They won through. Others were not prepared for such sacrifice, but their failure did not stop the accomplishment of Allah's plan and purpose.

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9:25
لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ ۙ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ ۙ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ Laqad na s arakumu All a hu fee maw at ina katheeratin wayawma h unaynin i th aAAjabatkum kathratukum falam tughni AAankum shayan wa da qat AAalaykumu alar d u bim a ra h ubat thumma wallaytum mudbireen a
Indeed, God has succoured you on many battlefields, [when you were few;] and [He did so, too,] on the Day of Hunayn, when you took pride in your great numbers and they proved of no avail whatever to you - for the earth, despite all its vastness, became [too] narrow for you and you turned back, retreating:33
  - Mohammad Asad

The battle of Hunayn, a valley situated on one of the roads leading from Mecca to Ta'if, took place in the year 8 H., shortly after the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims. The latters' opponents were the pagan tribes of Hawazin (in whose territory the valley lay) and their allies, the Banu Thaqif. The Muslim army - reinforced by many newly-converted Meccans - comprised about twelve thousand men, whereas the Hawazin and Thaqif had only one-third of that number at their disposal. Relying on their great numerical superiority, the Muslims were over-confident and, apparently, careless. In the narrow defiles beyond the oasis of Hunayn they fell into an ambush prepared by the tribesmen and began to retreat in disorder after heavy losses had been inflicted on them by the bedouin archers. It was only the example of the Prophet and his early adherents (the Meccan muhajirun and the ansar from Medina) that saved the day and turned the initial rout of the Muslims into a decisive victory. It is to this battle that verses {25} and {26} refer, pointing out that true succour can come only from God, and that great numbers, ties of kinship and worldly wealth are of no avail if they are "dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His cause" (see preceding verse).

Allah has indeed helped you in many battlefields and (recently) on the day of Hunain: when you were proud of your great numbers (the Muslim army was 12,000 strong and the unbelievers were only 4,000), but the numbers availed you nothing. The earth, with all its vastness, seemed to close in upon you, and you turned your backs and fled.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed Allah has given you 'believers' victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Hunain1 when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 After the Muslims’ victory in Mecca in 8 A.H/630 C.E., almost all Arab tribes pledged allegiance to the Prophet (ﷺ) except some tribes such as Hawâzin and Thaqîf. Both tribes decided to attack the Muslims, so the Prophet (ﷺ) led an army of 12 000 soldiers to attack the two tribes. Since that was the largest Muslim army ever mobilized, some Muslims expressed their conviction that such an army could not be defeated. However, on the way to battle, the Muslim army was ambushed and most soldiers fled, except for the Prophet (ﷺ) and a few loyalists. Eventually, the Muslims were re-organized and won a decisive battle.

Allah hath given you victory on many fields and on the day of Huneyn, when ye exulted in your multitude but it availed you naught, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then ye turned back in flight;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you but they availed you naught: the land for all that it is wide did constrain you and ye turned back in retreat. 1274 1275
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Hunain is on the road to Taif from Makkah about fourteen miles to the east of Makkah. It is a valley in the mountainous country between Makkah and Taif. Immediately after the conquest of Makkah, (A.H. 8), the Pagan idolaters, who were surprised and chagrined at the wonderful reception which Islam was receiving, organised a great gathering near Taif to concert plans for attacking the Prophet. The Hawazin and the Thaqif tribes took the lead and prepared a great expedition for Makkah, boasting of their strength and military skill. There was on the other hand a wave of confident enthusiasm among the Muslims at Makkah, in which the new Muslims joined. The enemy forces numbered about 4,000 but the Muslim force reached a total of ten or twelve thousand, as every one wished to join. The battle was joined at Hunain, as described in the next note.

For the first time the Muslims had at Hunain tremendous odds in their favour. But this itself constituted a danger. Many in their ranks had more enthusiasm than wisdom, more a spirit of elation than of faith and confidence in the righteousness of their cause. The enemy had the advantage of knowing the ground thoroughly. They laid an ambush in which the advance guard of the Muslim forces was caught. The country is hilly, in which the enemy concealed himself. As soon as the Muslim vanguard entered the Hunain valley, the enemy fell upon them with fury and caused havoc with their arrows from their places of concealment. In such ground the numbers of the Muslims were themselves a disadvantage. Many were slain, and many turned back in confusion and retreat. But the Prophet, as ever, was calm in his wisdom and faith. He rallied his forces and inflicted the most crushing defeat on the enemy.

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9:26
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ Thumma anzala All a hu sakeenatahu AAal a rasoolihi waAAal a almumineena waanzala junoodan lam tarawh a waAAa thth aba alla th eena kafaroo wa tha lika jaz a o alk a fireen a
whereupon God bestowed from on high His [gift of] inner peace upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and bestowed [upon you] from on high forces which you could not see,34 and chastised those who were bent on denying the truth: for such is the recompense of all who deny the truth!
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., spiritual forces. Cf. {3:124-125} (relating to the battle of Uhud) and the corresponding note, as well as 8:9 (which refers to the battle of Badr). The spiritual nature of this aid is clearly implied in the phrase, "forces which you could not" [or "did not"] see".

But Allah sent down His sakeenah (peace and tranquility) upon His Rasool and the believers and sent down to your aid those forces which you could not see, and punished the unbelievers. Thus was the recompense for the unbelievers.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then Allah sent down His reassurance1 upon His Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces2 you could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such was the reward of the disbelievers.
  - Mustafa Khattab

  lit., tranquility.

 i.e., angels.

Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon His messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts ye could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the reward of disbelievers.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But Allah did pour His calm on the apostle and on the believers and sent down forces which ye saw not: He punished the unbelievers: thus doth He reward those without faith. 1276
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Sakina: calm, peace, security, tranquillity. Cf. ii. 248. The Prophet never approved of over-weening confidence, or reliance merely upon human strength, or human resources or numbers. In the hour of danger and seeming disaster, he was perfectly calm, and with cool courage relied upon the help of Allah, Whose standard he carried. His calmness inspired all around him, and stopped the rout of those who had turned their backs. It was with Allah's help that they won, and their victory was complete. They followed it up with an energetic pursuit of the enemies, capturing their camps, their flocks and herds, and their families, whom they had boastfully brought with them in expectation of an easy victory.

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9:27
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ Thumma yatoobu All a hu min baAAdi tha lika AAal a man yash a o wa A ll a hu ghafoorun ra h eem un
But with all this,35 God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.36
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "then, after this".

Most of the commentators (e.g., Tabari, Baghawi. Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir) understand this verse as relating to the unbelievers and having a general import; Razi, however, thinks that it refers to the believers who behaved badly at the opening stage of the battle of Hunayn. In my opinion, the former interpretation is preferable. (See also last sentence of verse {15} and note [22] above.)

Then after that, you also witnessed that Allah guided to repent some of them whom He wanted, for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then afterwards Allah will turn in grace to whoever He wills.1 And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., Allah will accept those who embrace Islam. Almost all of Arabia became Muslim before the death of Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) in 11 A.H./632 C.E.

Then afterward Allah will relent toward whom He will; for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Again will Allah after this turn (in mercy) to whom He will: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. 1277
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Examples of Allah's mercy and grace in difficult circumstances in one case illustrate His grace and mercy at all times to those who have faith.

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9:28
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَـٰذَا ۚ وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ إِن شَآءَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo innam a almushrikoona najasun fal a yaqraboo almasjida al h ar a ma baAAda AA a mihim h atha wain khiftum AAaylatan fasawfa yughneekumu All a hu min fa d lihi in sh a a inna All a ha AAaleemun h akeem un
O YOU who have attained to faith! Those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God are nothing but impure:37 and so they shall not approach the Inviolable House of Worship from this year onwards.38 And should you fear poverty, then [know that] in time God will enrich you out of His bounty, if He so wills:39 for, verily, God is all-knowing, wise!
  - Mohammad Asad

The term najas ("impure") occurs in the Qur'an only in this one instance, and carries an exclusively spiritual meaning (see Manar X, 322ff.). To this day, the bedouin of Central and Eastern Arabia - who, contrary to the modern town-dwellers, have preserved the purity of the Arabic idiom to a high degree - describe a person who is immoral, faithless or wicked as najas. "The Inviolable House of Worship" (al-masjid al-haram) is, of course, the Ka'bah and, by implication, the whole of the territory of Mecca: which explains the next sentence.

Lit., "after this their year" - i.e., after the year 9 H., in which this surah was revealed.

This is an allusion to the apprehension on the part of some Muslims (and not only at the time of the revelation of this verse) that an exclusion of unbelievers from living in or visiting Mecca might lead to a loss of its position as a centre of trade and commerce, and thus to an impoverishment of its inhabitants.

O believers! Know that mushrikin are unclean; therefore, do not let them come near the Masjid-al-Haram after this year's pilgrimage. If you fear poverty, soon Allah - if He so wills - enrich you out of His bounty. Allah is All-Knowledgeable, All-Wise.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! Indeed, the polytheists are 'spiritually' impure,1 so they should not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year.2 If you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you out of His bounty, if He wills. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., impure spiritually because of idolatry, not physically.

 The 9 th  year of the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina.

O ye who believe! The idolaters only are unclean. So let them not come near the Inviolable Place of Worship after this their year. If ye fear poverty (from the loss of their merchandise) Allah shall preserve you of His bounty if He will. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! truly the pagans are unclean; so let them not after this year of theirs approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty soon will Allah enrich you if He wills out of his bounty for Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise. 1278 1279 1280
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Unclean: because Muslims are enjoined to be strict in cleanliness, as well as in purity of mind and heart, so that their word can be relied upon.

This year of theirs: there is a two-fold meaning: (1) now that you have complete control of Makkah and are, charged with the purity of worship there, shut out all impurity from this year: (2) you have seen how the Pagans have behaved this year; their year of power and misuse of that power may be called their year; it is over, and now you Muslims are responsible.

The concourse in Makkah added to the profits of trade and commerce. "But fear not," we are told: "the Pagans are a waning power, bound to disappear, and you should strengthen your own community, that they may more than counter-balance the apparent loss of custom; and Allah has other means of improving your economic position." This actually happened. The Pagans were extinguished from Arabia, and the concourse of pilgrims from all parts of the world increased the numbers more than a hundred-fold. Here is commonsense, wisdom, and statesmanship, even if we look at it from a purely human point of view.

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9:29
قَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ ٱلْحَقِّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا۟ ٱلْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَـٰغِرُونَ Q a tiloo alla th eena l a yuminoona bi A ll a hi wal a bi a lyawmi al a khiri wal a yu h arrimoona m a h arrama All a hu warasooluhu wal a yadeenoona deena al h aqqi mina alla th eena ootoo alkit a ba h att a yuAA t oo aljizyata AAan yadin wahum sa ghiroon a
[And] fight against those who - despite having been vouchsafed revelation [aforetime]40 - do not [truly] believe either in God or the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Apostle have forbidden,41 and do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them],42 till they [agree to] pay the exemption tax with a willing hand, after having been humbled [in war].43
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "such of those who were vouchsafed revelation [aforetime] as do not believe...", etc. In accordance with the fundamental principle - observed throughout my interpretation of the Qur'an - that all of its statements and ordinances are mutually complementary and cannot, therefore, be correctly understood unless they are considered as parts of one integral whole, this verse, too must be read in the context of the clear-cut Qur'anic rule that war is permitted only in self-defence (see {2:190-194}, and the corresponding notes). In other words, the above injunction to fight is relevant only in the event of aggression committed against the Muslim community or state, or in the presence of an unmistakable threat to its security: a view which has been shared by that great Islamic thinker, Muhammad 'Abduh. Commenting on this verse, he declared: "Fighting has been made obligatory in Islam only for the sake of defending the truth and its followers.... All the campaigns of the Prophet were defensive in character; and so were the wars undertaken by the Companions in the earliest period [of Islam]" (Manar X, 332).

This, to my mind, is the key-phrase of the above ordinance. The term "apostle" is obviously used here in its generic sense and applies to all the prophets on whose teachings the beliefs of the Jews and the Christians are supposed to be based - in particular, to Moses and (in the case of the Christians) to Jesus as well (Manar X, 333 and 337). Since, earlier in this sentence, the people alluded to are accused of so grave a sin as wilfully refusing to believe in God and the Last Day (i.e., in life after death and man's individual responsibility for his doings on earth), it is inconceivable that they should subsequently be blamed for comparatively minor offences against their religious law: consequently, the stress on their "not forbidding that which God and His apostle have forbidden" must refer to something which is as grave, or almost as grave, as disbelief in God. In the context of an ordinance enjoining war against them, this "something" can mean only one thing - namely, unprovoked aggression: for it is this that has been forbidden by God through all the apostles who were entrusted with conveying His message to man. Thus, the above verse must be understood as a call to the believers to fight against such - and only such - of the nominal followers of earlier revelation as deny their own professed beliefs by committing aggression against the followers of the Qur'an (cf. Manar X, 338).

See in this connection the statement (in {5:13-14}) that the Jews and the Christians "have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind".

Sc., "and having become incorporated in the Islamic state". The term jizyah, rendered by me as "exemption tax", occurs in the Qur'an only once, but its meaning and purpose have been fully explained in many authentic Traditions. It is intimately bound up with the concept of the Islamic state as an ideological organization: and this is a point which must always be borne in mind if the real purport of this tax is to be understood. In the Islamic state, every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to take up arms in jihad (i.e., in a just war in God's cause) whenever the freedom of his faith or the political safety of his community is imperilled: in other words, every able-bodied Muslim is liable to compulsory military service. Since this is, primarily, a religious obligation non-Muslim citizens, who do not subscribe to the ideology of Islam, cannot in fairness be expected to assume a similar burden. On the other hand, they must be accorded full protection of all their civic rights and of their religious freedom: and it is in order to compensate the Muslim community for this unequal distribution of civic burdens that a special tax is levied on non-Muslim citizens (ahl adh-dhimmah, lit., "covenanted" [or "protected"] people", i.e., non-Muslims whose safety is statutorily assured by the Muslim community). Thus, jizyah is no more and no less than an exemption tax in lieu of military service and in compensation for the "covenant of protection" (dhimmah) accorded to such citizens by the Islamic state. (The term itself is derived from the verb jaza "he rendered [something] as a satisfaction", or "as a compensation [in lieu of something else;" - cf. Lane II, 422.) No fixed rate has been set either by the Qur'an or by the Prophet for this tax; but from all available Traditions it is evident that it is to be considerably lower than the tax called zakah ("the purifying dues") to which Muslims are liable and which - because it is a specifically Islamic religious duty - is naturally not to be levied on non-Muslims. Only such of the non-Muslim citizens who, if they were Muslims, would be expected to serve in the armed forces of the state are liable to the payment of jizyah, provided that they can easily afford it. Accordingly, all non-Muslim citizens whose personal status or condition would automatically free them from the obligation to render military service are statutorily - that is, on the basis of clear-cut ordinances promulgated by the Prophet - exempted from the payment of jizyah: (a) all women, (b) males who have not yet reached full maturity, (c) old men, (d) all sick or crippled men, (e) priests and monks. All non-Muslim citizens who volunteer for military service are obviously exempted from the payment of jizyah. My rendering of the expression 'an yad (lit., "out of hand") as "with a willing hand", that is, without reluctance, is based on one of several explanations offered by Zamakhshari in his commentary on the above verse. Rashid Rida', taking the word yad in its metaphorical significance of "power" or "ability", relates the phrase 'an yad to the financial ability of the person liable to the payment of jizyah (see Manar X, 342): an interpretation which is undoubtedly justified in view of the accepted definition of this tax.

Fight those people of the Book (Jews and Christians) who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, do not refrain from what has been prohibited by Allah and His Rasool and do not embrace the religion of truth (Al-Islam), until they pay Jizya (protection tax) with their own hands and feel themselves subdued.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture,1 until they pay the tax,2 willingly submitting, fully humbled.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 To fully understand this verse we need to bear in mind that Quranic verses are of two types. General verses talk about belief in Allah, good manners, and acts of worship. Specific verses, such as this verse, were revealed in regards to particular situations. This sûrah came at a time when the pagans of Arabia (and their allies) repeatedly violated treaties they had signed with the Prophet (ﷺ). Muslims had to fight for the survival of their newly established state in Medina. So this verse discusses dealing with those who violated their agreements and attacked the Muslims. Offenders were fought, unless they stopped their aggression. If they chose not to accept Islam, they were obligated to pay Jizya-tax.

 Taxation systems have existed since ancient times. There are several references in the Old Testament (e.g., Ezra 4:20). In the New Testament, Jesus allows paying taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:25). Under Islamic rule, all individuals had financial obligations—Muslims paid zakâh (2.5% of their savings) and non-Muslims (ⱬimmîs) were required to pay jizyah (tax for protection from foreign enemies). The jizyah was an average of one dinar (4.25 g of gold) annually. Women, children, the elderly, the clergy, the poor, and those who were unable to work were exempt. Those who opted to join the army were also exempt. Poor ⱬimmîs were supported financially by the state. Muslim rulers refunded the jizyah if they failed to protect their non-Muslim subjects.

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His apostle nor acknowledge the religion of truth (even if they are) of the People of the Book until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. 1281 1282
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Jizya: the root meaning is compensation. The derived meaning, which became the technical meaning, was a poll-tax levied from those who did not accept Islam, but were willing to live under the protection of Islam, and were thus tacitly willing to submit to its ideals being enforced in the Muslim State. There was no amount permanently fixed for it. It was in acknowledgment that those whose religion was tolerated would in their turn not interfere with the preaching and progress of Islam. Imam Shafi'i suggests one dinar per year, which would be the Arabian gold dinar of the Muslim States. The tax varied in amount, and there were exemptions for the poor, for females and children (according to Abu Hanifa), for slaves, and for monks and hermits. Being a tax on able-bodied males of military age, it was in a sense a commutation for military service. But see the next note.

'An Yadin (literally, from the hand) has been variously interpreted. The hand being the symbol of power and authority. I accept the interpretation "in token of willing submission." The Jizya was thus partly symbolic and partly a commutation for military service, but as the amount was insignificant and the exemptions numerous, its symbolic character predominated. See the last note.

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9:30
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ Waq a lati alyahoodu AAuzayrun ibnu All a hi waq a lati a l nna sa r a almasee h u ibnu All a hi tha lika qawluhum biafw a hihim yu da hioona qawla alla th eena kafaroo min qablu q a talahumu All a hu ann a yufakoon a
AND THE JEWS say, "Ezra is God's son," while the Christians say, "The Christ is God's son." Such are the sayings which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth!44 [They deserve the imprecation:] "May God destroy them!"45 How perverted are their minds!46
  - Mohammad Asad

This statement is connected with the preceding verse, which speaks of the erring followers of earlier revelation. The charge of shirk ("the ascribing of divinity [or "divine qualities"] to aught beside God") is levelled against both the Jews and the Christians in amplification, as it were, of the statement that they "do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them]". As regards the belief attributed to the Jews that Ezra (or, in the Arabicized form of this name 'Uzayr) was "God's son", it is to be noted that almost all classical commentators of the Qur'an agree in that only the Jews of Arabia, and not all Jews, have been thus accused. (According to a Tradition on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas - quoted by Tabari in his commentary on this verse - some of the Jews of Medina once said to Muhammad, "How could we follow thee when thou hast forsaken our qiblah and dost not consider Ezra a son of God?") On the other hand, Ezra occupies a unique position in the esteem of all Jews, and has always been praised by them in the most extravagant terms. It was he who restored and codified the Torah after it had been lost during the Babylonian Exile, and "edited" it in more or less the form which it has today, and thus "he promoted the establishment of an exclusive, legalistic type of religion that became dominant in later Judaism" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1963, vol. IX, p. 15). Ever since then he has been venerated to such a degree that his verdicts on the Law of Moses have come to be regarded by the Talmudists as being practically equivalent to the Law itself: which, in Qur'anic ideology, amounts to the unforgivable sin of shirk, inasmuch as it implies the elevation of a human being to the status of a quasi-divine law-giver and the blasphemous attribution to him - albeit metaphorically - of the quality of "sonship" in relation to God. Cf. in this connection Exodus iv, 22-23 ("Israel is My son") or Jeremiah xxxi, 9 ("I am a father to Israel"): expressions to which, because of their idolatrous implications, the Qur'an takes strong exception.

My interpolation, between brackets, of the words "they deserve the imprecation" is based on Zamakhshari's and Razi's convincing interpretation of this phrase. Originally, the Arabs used the expression "may God destroy him" in the sense of a direct imprecation; but already in pre-Qur'anic Arabic it had assumed the character of an idiomatic device meant to circumscribe anything that is extremely strange or horrifying: and, according to many philologists, "this, rather than its literal meaning, is the purport [of this phrase] here" (Manar X, 399).

See surah {5}, note [90].

The Jews say: "Uzair (Azra) is the son of Allah," and the Christians say: " Messiah (Christ) is the son of Allah." That is what they say with their mouths, imitating the sayings of the former unbelievers. May Allah destroy them! How perverted they are!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The Jews say, 'Ezra is the son of Allah,' while the Christians say, 'The Messiah is the son of Allah.' Such are their baseless assertions, only parroting the words of earlier disbelievers. May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded 'from the truth'?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The Jews call Uzair a son of Allah and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. Allah's curse be on them: how they are deluded away from the truth! 1283 1284 1285
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In n. 718 to v. 18, 1 have quoted passages from the Old Testament, showing how freely the expression "sons of Allah" was used by the Jews. A sect of them called 'Uzair a son of Allah, according to Baidhawl. In Appendix II (Sura v.) I have shown that the constitution of Judaism dates from 'Uzair (Ezra). The Christians still call Christ the Son of Allah.

Taking men for gods or sons of Allah was not a new thing. All ancient mythologies have fables of that kind. There was less excuse for such blasphemies after the Prophets of Allah had clearly explained out true relation to Allah than in the times of primitive ignorance and superstition.

Cf. v. 75.

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9:31
ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ Ittakha th oo a h b a rahum waruhb a nahum arb a ban min dooni All a hi wa a lmasee h a ibna maryama wam a omiroo ill a liyaAAbudoo il a han w ah idan l a il a ha ill a huwa sub ha nahu AAamm a yushrikoon a
They have taken their rabbis and their monks - as well as the Christ, son of Mary - for their lords beside God,47 although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 3:64 .

They (Jews and Christians) have taken their rabbis and priests to be their Lords beside Allah and so they did with Messiah (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary), although they were commanded in the Torah and the Gospel to worship none but One Ilah (Allah); besides Whom there is none worthy of worship. Exalted be He above those whom they associate with Him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah,1 even though they were commanded to worship none but One God. There is no god 'worthy of worship' except Him. Glorified is He above what they associate 'with Him'!
  - Mustafa Khattab

 When ’Adi ibn Ḥâtim, a companion of the Prophet (ﷺ), heard this verse, he said, “But the Jews and Christians do not worship their rabbis and monks!” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Do the rabbis and monks not forbid the permissible and permit the forbidden, and they obey them?” ’Adi answered, “Yes, they do.” The Prophet (ﷺ) concluded, “This is how they worship them.” Collected by At-Tirmiⱬi.

They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; Yet they were commanded to worship but one Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to him: (far is He) from having the parents they associate (with him). 1286 1287 1288
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ahbar: doctors of law; priests; learned men. Cf. v. 44. where they are associated with Rabbis. Ruhban: monks, ascetics, anchorites, men who have renounced the world; where there is a celibate clergy, the term can be applied to them as well as to members of monastic orders. It is also permissible to apply the term to "saints", where they are deified or credited with divine powers, or where people pray to them as they do in the Roman Catholic Church.

Priest worship, and the worship of saints and ascetics is a form of superstition to which men have been prone in all ages. The growth of Jewish superstition is shown in the Talmud, and of Christian superstition in the doctrine of papal infallibility and the worship of saints. The mere idea of a separate order of priesthood to stand between Allah and man and be the exclusive repository of Allah's secrets is derogatory to the goodness and all-pervading grace of Allah. The worship of "lords many and gods many" was not confined only to the Pagans. The deification of the son of Mary is put here in a special clause by itself, as it held (and still holds) in its thrall a large portion of civilised humanity.

Cf. vi. 100.

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9:32
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِـُٔوا۟ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى ٱللَّهُ إِلَّآ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُۥ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ Yureedoona an yu t fioo noora All a hi biafw a hihim wayab a All a hu ill a an yutimma noorahu walaw kariha alk a firoon a
They want to extinguish God's [guiding] light with their utterances:48 but God will not allow [this to pass], for He has willed to spread His light in all its fullness,49 however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "with their mouths" - an allusion to the "sayings" (i.e., beliefs) mentioned in verse {30}.

Lit., "except (illa) that He bring His light to completion", or "to perfection". The expression "for He has willed" (i.e., contrary to what the erring ones want), is here elliptically implied by means of the particle illa.

They desire to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will not allow it to happen, for He seeks to perfect His light even though the disbelievers may dislike it.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They wish to extinguish Allah's light1 with their mouths, but Allah will only allow His light to be perfected, even to the dismay of the disbelievers.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., religion of truth.

Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected even though the unbelievers may detest (it). 1289
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

With their mouths: there is a twofold meaning: (1) the old-fashioned open oil lamps were extinguished by blowing with the mouth; the Unbelievers would like to blow out Allah's Light as it is a cause of offence to them; (2) false teachers and preachers distort the Message of Allah by the false words of their mouth. Their wish is to put out the light of Truth for they are people of darkness; but Allah will perfect His Light, i.e., make it shine all the brighter in the eyes of men. His Light in itself is ever perfect, but it will penetrate the hearts of men more and more, and so become more and more perfect for them.

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9:33
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ Huwa alla th ee arsala rasoolahu bi a lhud a wadeeni al h aqqi liyu th hirahu AAal a a l ddeeni kullihi walaw kariha almushrikoon a
He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion50 - however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God.
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 3:19 - "the only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man's] self-surrender unto Him". See also {61: 8-9}.

It is He Who has sent His Rasool with guidance and true Deen (faith) to make it prevail over all other deens (faiths) even though the mushrikin may hate it.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He is the One Who has sent His Messenger with 'true' guidance and the religion of truth, making it prevail over all others, even to the dismay of the polytheists.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He it is who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It is He who hath sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth to proclaim it over all religions even though the pagans may detest (it). 1290
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Every religion which commends itself widely to human beings and lasts through some space of time has a glimpse of Truth in it. But Islam being the perfect light of Truth is bound to prevail. As the greater Light, through its own strength, outshines all lesser lights, so will Islam outshine all else, in spite of the displeasure of those to whom light is an offence. See also xlviii. 28, n. 4912, and lxi. 9, n. 5442.

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9:34
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo inna katheeran mina ala h b a ri wa al rruhb a ni layakuloona amw a la a l nn a si bi a lb at ili waya s uddoona AAan sabeeli All a hi wa a lla th eena yaknizoona a l thth ahaba wa a lfi dd ata wal a yunfiqoonah a fee sabeeli All a hi fabashshirhum biAAa tha bin aleem in
O you who have attained to faith! Behold, many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men's possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God. But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of God51 - give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]:
  - Mohammad Asad

Most probably this is, in the first instance, an allusion to the wealth of the Jewish and Christian communities, and their misuse of this wealth. Some of the commentators, however, are of the opinion that the reference is wider, comprising all people, including Muslims, who hoard their wealth without spending anything thereof on righteous causes.

O believers! Indeed most of the (Jewish) rabbis and (Christian) priests misappropriate the wealth of people and hinder them from the way of Allah. To those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, proclaim a painful punishment.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! Indeed, many rabbis and monks consume people's wealth wrongfully and hinder 'others' from the Way of Allah. Give good news of a painful torment to those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's cause.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O ye, who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites who in falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty. 1291 1292
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Bil-batili = in falsehood, i.e., by false means, pretences, or in false or vain things. This was strikingly exemplified in the history of Mediaeval Europe. Though the disease is apt to attack all peoples and organisations at all times. Priests got rich by issuing indulgences and dispensations; they made their office a stepping stone to worldly power and possessions. Even the Monastic Orders, which took vows of poverty for individuals grew rich with corporate property, until their wealth became a scandal, even among their own nations.

Misuse of wealth, property, and resources is frequently condemned, and in three ways: (1) do not acquire anything wrongfully or on false pretences; (2) do not hoard or bury or amass wealth for its own sake but use it freely for good, whether for yourself or for your neighbours; and (3) be particularly careful not to waste it for idle purposes, but only so that it may fructify for the good of the people.

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9:35
يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ Yawma yu h m a AAalayh a fee n a ri jahannama fatukw a bih a jib a huhum wajunoobuhum wa th uhooruhum h atha m a kanaztum lianfusikum fa th ooqoo m a kuntum taknizoon a
on the Day when that [hoarded wealth] shall be heated in the fire of hell and their foreheads and their sides and their backs branded therewith,52 [those sinners shall be told:] "These are the treasures which you have laid up for yourselves! Taste, then, [the evil of] your hoarded treasures!"
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the parallel allegory, in 3:180 , of the suffering which will befall the avaricious and the niggardly in the life to come. Regarding the eschatological implications of this and similar allegories, see Appendix I.

The Day will surely come when their treasure will be heated up in the fire of hell, and their foreheads, sides and backs branded with it. They will be told: "This is the treasure which you hoarded. Now taste what you were hoarding!"
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The Day 'will come' when their treasure will be heated up in the Fire of Hell, and their foreheads, sides, and backs branded with it. 'It will be said to them,' 'This is the treasure you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste what you hoarded!'
  - Mustafa Khattab
On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of hell and with it will be branded their foreheads their flanks and their backs "this is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye then the (treasures) ye buried!" 1293 1294
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Gold and silver, symbolising wealth which these people cherished even more than the good pleasure of their Lord, will not only be the cause but the instrument whereby they would receive a grievous punishment.

The voice enforces the moral: "did you expect satisfaction or salvation from the treasures that you misused? Behold! they add to your torment!"

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9:36
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ Inna AAiddata a l shshuhoori AAinda All a hi ithn a AAashara shahran fee kit a bi All a hi yawma khalaqa a l ssam a w a ti wa a lar d a minh a arbaAAatun h urumun tha lika a l ddeenu alqayyimu fal a ta th limoo feehinna anfusakum waq a tiloo almushrikeena k a ffatan kam a yuq a tiloonakum k a ffatan wa i AAlamoo anna All a ha maAAa almuttaqeen a
BEHOLD, the number of months, in the sight of God, is twelve months, [laid down] in God's decree on the day when He created the heavens and the earth; [and] out of these, four are sacred:53 this is the ever-true law [of God]. Do not, then, sin against yourselves with regard to these [months].54 And fight against those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, all together - just as they fight against you, [O believers,] all together55 - and know that God is with those who are conscious of Him.
  - Mohammad Asad

This connects with the subsequent reference to fighting against "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God" (see next note). The months spoken of here are lunar months, progressively rotating through the seasons of the solar year (see surah {2}, note [165]). Since reckoning by the easily observable lunar months is more natural than by the arbitrarily fixed months of the solar year, it is described in this passage as "the ever-true law (din) [of God]". The four "sacred months" during which warfare was considered blasphemous in pre-Islamic Arabia - a view which has been confirmed by Islam (see note [6] above) - are Muharram, Rajab, Dhu 'l-Qa'dah and Dhu 'l-Hijjah.

In their endeavour to obviate certain disadvantages for their trade caused by the seasonal rotation of the lunar months, the pagan Arabs used to intercalate a thirteenth month in the third, sixth and eighth year of every eight-year period, with a view to making the lunar calendar more or less stationary, and thus roughly corresponding to the solar year. An acceptance of this unwarranted intercalation by the Muslims would have tied the Mecca pilgrimage as well as the fast of Ramadan to fixed seasons, and would thus have made, permanently, the performance of these religious duties either too exacting or too easy, and in either case the believers would have been offending against the spiritual purpose underlying these duties - which is the meaning of the words "do not sin against yourselves with regard to these [months]": i.e., by following, without any warrant from God, a custom devised by "those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him", to whom the sequence refers.

I.e., "just as all of them are, as it were, united against you in their rejection of the truth, be united against them in your readiness for self-sacrifice". As regards the circumstances in which the Muslims are authorized to make war against unbelievers, see the earlier parts of this surah, and especially verses {12-13}, as well as {2:190-194}, where the general principles relating to war are laid down.

The number of months ordained by Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these, four are sacred; that is the established principle of Deen. Therefore, do not wrong yourselves by violating them. But you may fight against the mushrikin in all these months if they fight against you in all of them. Know that Allah is with the righteous.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, the number of months ordained by Allah is twelve- in Allah's Record1 since the day He created the heavens and the earth- of which four are sacred. That is the Right Way. So do not wrong one another during these months. And together fight the polytheists as they fight against you together. And know that Allah is with those mindful 'of Him'.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the Preserved Tablet in which everything is written.

Lo! the number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah's ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them. And wage war on all the idolaters as they are waging war on all of you. And know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred; that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. 1295 1296
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This and the following verse must be read together. They condemn the arbitrary and selfish conduct of the Pagan Arabs, who, because there was a long-established custom of observing four months as those in which fighting was forbidden, changed the months about or added or deducted months when it suited them, to get an unfair advantage over the enemy. The four Prohibited Months were: Zul-qa'dah, Zul- hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. If it suited them they postponed one of these months, and so a prohibited month became an ordinary month: while their opponents might hesitate to fight, they got an undue advantage. It also upset the security of the Month of Pilgrimage. This very ancient usage made for fair dealing all round, and its infraction by the Pagans is condemned. The question of a solar astronomical year as against the lunar Islamic year does not arise here. But it may be noted that the Arab year was roughly luni solar like the Hindu year, the months being lunar and the intercalation of a month every three years brought the year nearly but not accurately up to the solar reckoning. From the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage (A.H.10) the Islamic year was definitely fixed as a purely lunar year of roughly 354 days, the months being calculated by the actual appearance of the moon. After that, every month of the Islamic year came about 11 days earlier in the solar year, and thus the Islamic months travelled all round the seasons and the solar year.

The Muslims were at a disadvantage on account of their scruples about the Prohibited Months. They are told not to wrong themselves in this. If the Pagans fought in all months on one pretence or another, they were allowed to defend themselves in all months. But self-restraint was (as always) recommended as far as possible.

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9:37
إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّسِىٓءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِى ٱلْكُفْرِ ۖ يُضَلُّ بِهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُحِلُّونَهُۥ عَامًا وَيُحَرِّمُونَهُۥ عَامًا لِّيُوَاطِـُٔوا۟ عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ فَيُحِلُّوا۟ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ زُيِّنَ لَهُمْ سُوٓءُ أَعْمَـٰلِهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ Innam a a l nnaseeo ziy a datun fee alkufri yu d allu bihi alla th eena kafaroo yu h illoonahu AA a man wayu h arrimoonahu AA a man liyuw at ioo AAiddata m a h arrama All a hu fayu h illoo m a h arrama All a hu zuyyina lahum sooo aAAm a lihim wa A ll a hu l a yahdee alqawma alk a fireen a
The intercalation [of months] is but one more instance of [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth56 - [a means] by which those who are bent on denying the truth are led astray. They declare this [intercalation] to be permissible in one year and forbidden in [another] year,57 in order to conform [outwardly] to the number of months which God has hallowed: and thus they make allowable what God has forbidden.58 Goodly seems unto them the evil of their own doings, since God does not grace with His guidance people who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "is but an increase in denying the truth (kufr)". The term nasi', rendered by me as "intercalation", may also be translated as "postponement" - i.e., the postponement of lunar months by means of the periodical intercalation of a thirteenth month, as practiced by the pre-Islamic Arabs with a view to bringing the traditional lunar calendar, for purely worldly reasons, into accord with the solar year (see note [54] above). The Qur'an describes this practice as an additional instance of kufr because it contravenes God's declared will as regards the observance of the lunar calendar in respect of various religious duties (cf. the preceding verse, as well as 2:189 and the corresponding note [165]).

An allusion to the arbitrary manner in which the pre-Islamic Arabs intercalated a thirteenth month in the third, sixth and eighth year of every eight-year period.

By means of the intercalation spoken of above, the pagan Arabs did in most years keep the number of months to twelve; but by divorcing the four "sacred months" (Muharram, Rajab, Dhu 'l-Qa'dah and Dhu 'l-Hijjah), from their proper lunar context they obviously profaned and perverted the natural law.

Transposing a prohibited month is only an addition to unbelief, thereby the disbelievers are misguided. They make a certain month lawful one year and in another year they make the same a forbidden month, so that they make up for the months which Allah has sanctified, thus making lawful what Allah has forbidden. Their evil actions seem pleasing to them. Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Reallocating the sanctity of 'these' months1 is an increase in disbelief, by which the disbelievers are led 'far' astray. They adjust the sanctity one year and uphold it in another, only to maintain the number of months sanctified by Allah, violating the very months Allah has made sacred. Their evil deeds have been made appealing to them. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The sacred months are the 11 th , 12 th , 1 st , and 7 th  of the Islamic calendar. Since the polytheists knew that it was forbidden to fight in the sacred months, they used to transfer the sanctity to other months, say for example, the 3 rd , 4 th , 8 th , and 10 th  as long as they maintained the sanctity of any four months throughout the year.

Postponement (of a sacred month) is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled, they allow it one year and forbid it (another) year, that they may make up the number of the months which Allah hath hallowed, so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden. The evil of their deeds is made fair-seeming unto them. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Verily the transposing (of a prohibited month) is an addition to unbelief: the unbelievers are led to wrong thereby: for they make it lawful one year and forbidden another year in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But Allah guideth not those who reject faith. 1297 1298
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To meddle with an old-established custom of close time for warfare during Prohibited or Sacred Months was not only a demonstration of the Unbelievers against the Muslims on account of their Faith, but was wrong and unjust in itself, as it abolished a wholesome check on unregulated warfare, and prejudiced the law-abiding side by arbitrary decisions.

Cf. vi. 122. The lawless man thinks he is doing a great thing in getting the better of those who are careful to observe a law they believe in. But the lawless man loses the guidance of Faith he will therefore lose in the end.

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9:38
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo m a lakum i tha qeela lakumu infiroo fee sabeeli All a hi ithth a qaltum il a alar d i ara d eetum bi a l h ay a ti a l dduny a mina al a khirati fam a mat a AAu al h ay a ti a l dduny a fee al a khirati ill a qaleel un
O YOU who have attained to faith! What is amiss with you that, when you are called upon, "Go forth to war in God's cause," you cling heavily to the earth?59 Would you content yourselves with [the comforts of] this worldly life in preference to [the good of] the life to come? But the enjoyment of life in this world is but a paltry thing when compared with the life to come!
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "you are sluggish in your response, clinging to the life of this world". This verse - as well as most of this surah from here onward - alludes to the campaign of Tabuk, in the year 9 H. The immediate reason for this expedition was the information which the Prophet received to the effect that the Byzantines, made apprehensive by the rapid growth of Islam in Arabia and incited by the Prophet's enemy Abu 'Amir (see note [142] on verse {107} of this surah), were assembling large forces on the confines of the Peninsula with a view to marching against Medina and overthrowing the Muslims. To guard against such an assault, the prophet assembled the strongest force the Muslims were capable of, and set out in the month of Rajab, 9 H., towards the frontier. On reaching Tabuk, about half-way between Medina and Damascus, the Prophet ascertained that the Byzantines were either not yet ready to invade Arabia or had entirely given up the idea for the time being; and so - in accordance with the Islamic principle that war may be waged only in self-defence - he returned with his followers to Medina without engaging in hostilities. At the time of the preparation for this expedition, the hypocrites and a minority among the believers displayed an extreme reluctance (referred to in this and the following verses) to embark on a war with Byzantium: and it is this minority that the above verse reproaches for "clinging heavily to the earth" (Manar X 493).

O believers! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the way of Allah, you cling to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the life of the hereafter? If it is so, then you should know that the comforts of this life are little compared to the life of the hereafter.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling firmly to 'your' land?1 Do you prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter? The enjoyment of this worldly life is insignificant compared to that of the Hereafter.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The fast pace of the spread of Islam in Arabia in the 7 th  century was intimidating to the world’s two superpowers of that time: the Romans and Persians. The Prophet (ﷺ) received the news that a Roman army was being mobilized to launch an attack on the newly established Muslim state in Medina, so he announced that he was going to march to Tabûk, located over 700 miles to the north, to meet the Romans in the summer of 9 A.H./631 C.E. It was a time of hardship because of the scorching heat, the long distance, and the financial situation of the Muslims. Although the Prophet (ﷺ) was able to mobilize over 30 000 Muslims for battle, many others did not join the army with or without valid excuses. Eventually, the Roman forces were discouraged from fighting and fled to Damascus and other cities under Roman rule. Therefore, the Prophet (ﷺ) returned to Medina with a feeling of triumph. With a new power now emerging in Arabia, many tribes started to switch their alliances from Caesar to the Prophet (ﷺ).

O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! what is the matter with you then when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life as compared with the hereafter. 1299 1300
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The immediate reference is to the expeditions to Tabuk (A.H. 9), for which see the Introduction to this Sura. But the lesson is perfectly general. When a call is made on behalf of a great cause, the fortunate ones are those who have the privilege of responding to the call. The unfortunate ones are those who are so engrossed in their parochial affairs that they turn a deaf ear to the appeal. They are suffering from a spiritual disease.

The choice is between two courses: will you choose a noble adventure and the glorious privilege of following your spiritual leader, or grovel in the earth for some small worldly gain or for fear of worldly loss? The people who hesitated to follow the call of Tabuk were deterred by (1) the heat of the summer, in which the expedition was undertaken on account of the threat to the existence of the little community, and (2) the fear of losing the fruit harvest, which was ripe for gathering.

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9:39
إِلَّا تَنفِرُوا۟ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ Ill a tanfiroo yuAAa thth ibkum AAa tha ban aleeman wayastabdil qawman ghayrakum wal a ta d urroohu shayan wa A ll a hu AAal a kulli shayin qadeer un
If you do not go forth to war [in God's cause], He will chastise you with grievous chastisement, and will place another people in your stead - whereas you shall in no wise harm Him: for, God has the power to will anything.
  - Mohammad Asad
If you do not march forth, He will inflict on you a painful punishment and replace you with other people, and you cannot harm Him at all, for Allah has power over everything.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
If you do not march forth, He will afflict you with a painful torment and replace you with other people. You are not harming Him in the least. And Allah is Most Capable of everything.
  - Mustafa Khattab
If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other then you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Unless ye go forth He will punish you with a grievous penalty and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things. 1301
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Tanfiru= go forth, march onward, be ready to strive and suffer. For this is the condition of all progress in the spiritual and moral, as well as in the physical, world. According to the homely English proverb, God helps those who help themselves. Inactivity and lethargy are fatal. No one can rest on his oars. Man is not necessary to Allah, but Allah is necessary to man. If a nation receives favours and fails to deserve them, it will be replaced by another: as has so often happened in history. We may take this as a special warning to Islamic nations.

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9:40
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ Ill a tan s uroohu faqad na s arahu All a hu i th akhrajahu alla th eena kafaroo th a niya ithnayni i th hum a fee algh a ri i th yaqoolu li sah ibihi l a ta h zan inna All a ha maAAan a faanzala All a hu sakeenatahu AAalayhi waayyadahu bijunoodin lam tarawh a wajaAAala kalimata alla th eena kafaroo a l ssufl a wakalimatu All a hi hiya alAAuly a wa A ll a hu AAazeezun h akeem un
If you do not succour the Apostle,60 then [know that God will do so - just as] God succoured him at the time when those who were bent on denying the truth drove him away, [and he was but] one of two:61 when these two were [hiding] in the cave, [and] the Apostle said to his companion, "Grieve not: verily, God is with us."62 And thereupon God bestowed upon him from on high His [gift of] inner peace,63 and brought utterly low the cause of those who were bent on denying the truth, whereas the cause of God remained supreme:64 for God is almighty, wise.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "him". i.e., Muhammad.

Lit., "the second of two": an allusion to the Prophet's flight, in the company of Abu Bakr, from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 of the Christian era. The expression "the second of two" does not imply any order of precedence but is synonymous with "one of two": cf. the Prophet's saying to Abu Bakr, on that very occasion, "What [could], in thy opinion, [happen] to two [men] who have God as the third with them?" (Bukhari, in the chapter Fada'il Ashab an-Nabi.)

When the Prophet and Abu Bakr left on their hijrah to Medina, they first hid for three nights in a cave on Mount Thawr, in the vicinity of Mecca, where they were almost discovered and apprehended by the pagan Quraysh who were pursuing them (Bukhari, loc. cit.).

Cf. verse {26} above.

Lit., "is the highest". The expression rendered by me as "cause", which occurs twice in this sentence, reads, literally, "word" (kalimah).

If you do not help the Prophet, it does not matter: Allah did help him when the unbelievers drove him out of his town, the second of the two, while the two were in the cave and (the enemy came to the opening of the cave) he said to his companion (Abu Bakr, later the first of the rightly-guided caliphs), "Do not worry, Allah is with us." So Allah sent down his serenity on him and strengthened him with forces which you can not see, thus, He made the word of the unbelievers lowest, while words of Allah remain supreme. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'It does not matter' if you 'believers' do not support him, for Allah did in fact support him when the disbelievers drove him out 'of Mecca' and he was only one of two. While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion,1 'Do not worry; Allah is certainly with us.' So Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you 'believers' did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Abu Bakr Aṣ-Ṣiddîq, Islam’s first Caliph and a prominent figure in Islamic history. He accompanied the Prophet (ﷺ) during his emigration from Mecca to Medina after years of persecution at the hands of the Meccan pagans.

If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
If ye help not (your Leader) (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him: when the unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion: they two were in the cave and he said to his companion "have no fear for Allah is with us": then Allah sent down his peace upon him and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not and humbled to the depths the word of the unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might Wise. 1302 1303 1304 1305
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Tabuk expedition was not a failure. Though some hesitated, many more joined in. But a more striking example was when the Prophet was hunted out of Makkah and performed his famous Hijrat. His enemies plotted for his life. He had already sent his followers on to Madinah. Ali had volunteered to face his enemies in his house. His single companion was Abu Bakr. They two concealed themselves in the cave of Thaur, three miles from Makkah, for three nights, with the enemy prowling around in great numbers in fruitless search of them. "We are but two," said Abu Bakr. "Nay," said Muhammad, "for Allah is with us." Faith gave their minds peace, and Allah gave them safety. They reached Madinah, and a glorious chapter opened for Islam. The forces that helped them were not seen, but their power was irresistible.

"The second of two," which afterwards became Abu Bakr's proud title.

Cf. ix. 26.

The superlatives in the Arabic I have rendered by the periphrasis, "humbled to the depths" and "exalted to the heights," as they accord better with the genius of the English language. The enemies of Islam had boasted that they would root it out: the result showed them up as ridiculous and despicable.

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