Surah 9. Al-Tawba

Ayah 71

Ibn Kathir

Maududi

71 وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

71. The believers, men and women, are supporters of one another; they enjoin good, and forbid evil; they perform the Salah, and give the Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His mercy on them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

Qualities of Faithful Believers

After Allah mentioned the evil characteristics of the hypocrites, He then mentioned the good qualities of the believers,

﴿وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ﴾

(The believers, men and women, are supporters of one another;) they help and aid each other. Surely, an authentic Hadith states,

«الْمُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا»

(The believer to the believer is just like a building, its parts support each other.) and the Prophet crossed his fingers together. In the Sahih it is recorded,

«مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَر»

(The example of the believers in the compassion and mercy they have for each other, is the example of one body: if a part of it falls ill, the rest of the body suffers with fever and sleeplessness.) Allah's statement,

﴿يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ﴾

(...they enjoin good, and forbid evil), this is similar to,

﴿وَلْتَكُن مِّنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ﴾

(Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining Al-Ma`ruf and forbidding the Munkar...) ﴿3:104﴾. Allah said next,

﴿وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوةَ﴾

(they perform the Salah, and give the Zakah), they obey Allah and are kind to His creation,

﴿وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ﴾

(and obey Allah and His Messenger), concerning what he commands and refraining from what he prohibits,

﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ﴾

(Allah will have mercy on them.) Therefore, Allah will give mercy to those who have these qualities,

﴿أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ﴾

(Surely, Allah is All-Mighty), He grants glory to those who obey Him, for indeed, might and glory is from Allah Who gives it to His Messenger and the believers,

﴿حَكِيمٌ﴾

(All-Wise), in granting these qualities to the believers, while giving evil characteristics to hypocrites. Surely, Allah's wisdom is perfect in all His actions; praise and glory be to Him.

Surah 9. Al-Tawba

Ayah 71

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