Surah 9. Al-Tawba

AND [as for] the believers, both men and women - they are close unto one another:⁹⁹ they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "are the protectors [or "friends and protectors"] of one another". Since, however, the believers are here contrasted with the hypocrites, spoken of in verse {67} as being "all of a kind", it is preferable to render the term wali (of which awliya' is the plural) in its primary meaning of being near" or "close" to one another.

The true believers, both men and women, are protectors of one another. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil; they establish Salah, pay Zakah, and obey Allah and His Rasool. It is they on whom Allah will have His mercy; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

God has promised the believers, both men and women, gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss:¹⁰⁰ but God's goodly acceptance is the greatest [bliss of all] - for this, this is the triumph supreme!

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of this rendering of 'adn (akin to the Hebrew 'eden, "delight" or "bliss") see note [45] on 38:50 , where this expression occurs for the first time in the chronological order of Qur'anic revelation.

Allah has promised to the believers, both men and women, gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever, and they will have beautiful mansions in these gardens of everlasting bliss. Best of all, they will have the good pleasure of Allah. Now that is the highest achievement.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah promiseth to the believers, men and women, Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide--blessed dwellings in Gardens of Eden. And greater (far)!--acceptance from Allah. That is the supreme triumph.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O PROPHET! Strive hard against the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites, and be adamant with them.¹⁰¹ And [if they do not repent,] their goal shall be hell - and how vile a journey's end!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "do not compromise with them in matters of principle". Regarding the meaning of the verb jahada ("he strove hard", i.e., in a righteous cause), see surah {4}, note [122]. The imperative jahid is obviously used here in its spiritual connotation, implying efforts at convincing both the outspoken unbelievers and the waverers, including the various types of hypocrites spoken of in the preceding passages. Although the imperative is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet, it is considered to be morally binding on all believers.

O Prophet! Make Jihad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be firm against them. Hell shall be their home; and it is the worst of all homes.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[The hypocrites] swear by God that they have said nothing [wrong]; yet most certainly have they uttered a saying which amounts to a denial of the truth,¹⁰² and have [thus] denied the truth after [having professed] their self-surrender to God: for they were aiming at something which was beyond their reach.¹⁰³ And they could find no fault [with the Faith] save that God had enriched them and [caused] His Apostle [to enrich them] out of His bounty!¹⁰⁴ Hence, if they repent, it will be for their own good; but if they turn away, God will cause them to suffer grievous suffering in this world and in the life to come, and they will find no helper on earth, and none to give [them] succour.

  - Mohammad Asad

See the first sentence of verse {61} above, and the corresponding note [86]. The allegation that the Prophet deceived himself in the matter of revelation is, naturally, equivalent to disbelief in the outcome of his revelation, i.e., the Qur'an.

Lit., "which they were unable to attain to". The classical commentators take this as a reference to an abortive plot, on the part of some of the hypocrites, to kill the Prophet during the expedition to Tabuk. However, without contesting the validity of this historical interpretation, I believe that the above allusion has a far deeper meaning - namely, the existential impossibility of one's ever attaining to inner peace without a positive belief that man's life has meaning and purpose, either of which can be glimpsed only through the revelations bestowed on those exceptionally gifted and receptive personalities, the prophets. (An indirect reference to divine revelation as the only source of this kind of cognition appears in 96:5 , that is, in the earliest Qur'anic passage revealed to the Prophet.) Thus, torn between their half-hearted desire to "surrender themselves to God" and their unwillingness to accept the divine guidance offered them by the Prophet, the hypocrites "were aiming at something which was beyond their reach".

I.e., by means of the spiritual guidance contained in the Qur'an and the material welfare resulting from an adherence to its moral and social principles. The above phrase implies that the reluctance of the hypocrites to pay heed to the Prophet was not due to their finding fault with the Faith as such but, rather, to their lack of gratitude for the spiritual and material benefits which they had derived from it. (Because of its historical associations, most of this verse is expressed in the past tense, although its moral import is obviously timeless.)

They swear by Allah that they said nothing when in fact they uttered the words of unbelief and they committed Kufr after accepting Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out. They had no reason to be revengeful, except that Allah and His Rasool had enriched them through His bounty. Therefore, if they repent it will indeed be better for them; but if they turn back (do not repent) Allah will punish them with a painful punishment in this life and in the Hereafter, and they shall have none on earth to protect or help them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They swear by Allah that they said nothing (wrong), yet they did say the word of disbelief, and did disbelieve after their Surrender (to Allah). And they purposed that which they could not attain, and they sought revenge only that Allah by His messenger should enrich them of His bounty. If they repent it will be better for them; and if they turn away, Allah will afflict them with a painful doom in the world and the Hereafter, and they have no protecting friend nor helper in the earth.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And among them are such as vow unto God, "If indeed He grant us [something] out of His bounty, we shall most certainly spend in charity, and shall most certainly be among the righteous!"

  - Mohammad Asad

There are some among them who made a covenant with Allah saying: "If He bestows on us His bounty, we will spend in charity and become truly of the righteous."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And of them is he who made a covenant with Allah (saying): If He give us of His bounty We will give alms and become of the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But as soon as He has given them [aught] out of His bounty, they cling to it niggardly, and turn away in their obstinacy [from all that they have vowed]:

  - Mohammad Asad

But when He did bestow of His bounty they became stingy, turned back from their covenant and became evasive.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Yet when He gave them of His bounty, they boarded it and turned away, averse;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

whereupon He causes hypocrisy to take root in their hearts, [therein to remain] until the Day on which they shall meet Him¹⁰⁵ - because they have failed to fulfil the vow which they had made unto God, and because they were wont to lie.¹⁰⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "He has caused hypocrisy to become for them consequence (a'qabahum) in their hearts until the Day on which they shall meet Him" (i.e., until their resurrection). Thus, the Qur'an states that it is excessive love of worldly possessions which gives rise, in a certain type of man, to the attitude of mind described as "hypocrisy" - and not vice versa (see also 29:11 and the corresponding note [7]). Cf. in this connection the Prophet's saying, reported by Abu Hurayrah: "The mark (ayah) of the hypocrite is threefold: when he speaks, he lies; and when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted, he betrays" (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i; similar Traditions, on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr, are quoted by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hanbal).

I.e., to themselves, trying to find excuses for their breaking their vow.

He put hypocrisy into their hearts to last till the Day wherein they shall meet Him as a consequence of their breach of covenant with Allah and the lies they told.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So He hath made the consequence (to be) hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do they not know that God knows [all] their hidden thoughts and their secret confabulations, and that God knows fully all the things that are beyond the reach of human perception?

  - Mohammad Asad

Are they not aware that Allah knows their secret thoughts and their secret counsels, and that Allah knows fully well all that is hidden?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Know they not that Allah knoweth both their secret and the thought that they confide, and that Allah is the Knower of Things Hidden?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[It is these hypocrites] who find fault with such of the believers as give for the sake of God¹⁰⁷ more than they are duty-bound to give, as well as with such as find nothing [to give] beyond [the meagre fruits of] their toil, and who scoff at them [all].¹⁰⁸ God will cause their scoffing to rebound on themselves,¹⁰⁹ and grievous suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding my rendering of sadaqat as "that which is given for the sake of God", see [note 81] above.

There are many authentic Traditions to the effect that the hypocrites at Medina used to deride the offerings which the believers brought to the Prophet (as head of the community and the state) in response to the Qur'anic ordinance that they should "give for the sake of God". For instance, the Companion Abu Mas'ud reports: "[When] a man brought an ample offering, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would say, 'He [only] wants to be seen and praised by men'; and when a man brought an offering of a small measure [of dates or grain], they would say, 'God does not stand in need of such an offering'" (Bukhari and Muslim, and many similar versions in other hadith compilations). The above verse, however, does not allude merely to these historical incidents but serves to illustrate the mentality of the hypocrite whose own insincerity colours his view of all other people.

Lit., "God will scoff at them": a turn of phrase often occurring in the Qur'an (e.g., in 2:15 ), indicating God's requital.

As for those that taunt the believers who give freely and ridicule those who find nothing to give except the fruits of their labor; Allah will throw back their ridicule on them and they shall have a painful punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavors, and deride them Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And] whether thou dost pray [unto God] that they be forgiven or dost not pray for them - [it will all be the same: for even] if thou wert to pray seventy times¹¹⁰ that they be forgiven, God will not forgive them, seeing that they are bent on denying God and His Apostle. And God does not bestow His guidance upon such iniquitous folk.¹¹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., many times. In Arabic usage, the number "seventy" often stands for "many", just as "seven" is a synonym for "several" (see Lisan al-'Arab and Taj al-'Arus). It is evident from many authentic Traditions (recorded, among others, by Bukhari and Muslim) that the Prophet often prayed to God that He pardon his enemies.

I.e., "those who are so deeply rooted in their iniquity and in their insolent persistence in evildoing (tamarrud)... [that] they have lost all disposition for repentance and belief" (Manar X, 657).

O Prophet! It is the same, whether you ask forgiveness for them or not; even if you ask for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah is not going to forgive them: because they have disbelieved Allah and His Rasool. Allah does not guide those who are transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

THOSE [hypocrites] who were left behind rejoiced in their staying away [from war]¹¹² after [the departure of] God s Apostle, for they hated the thought of striving with their possessions and their lives in God's cause; and they had [even] said [to the others], "Do not go forth to war in this heat!" Say: "The fire of hell is hotter by far!" Had they but grasped this truth!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "rejoiced in their sitting [at home]" - a reference to those who, under one pretext or another, excused themselves from participating in the expedition to Tabuk (see notes [59] and [66] above). As is evident from the sequence - and clearly stated in many authentic Traditions - one of the excuses advanced was the extreme heat of the season.

Those who remained behind (did not join the Tabuk expedition) were delighted to sit inactive behind Allah's Rasool, and they hated to make Jihad with their goods and their persons in the cause of Allah. They said to each other "Do not go forth in the heat." Say to them: "The fire of hell is much more severe in heat." If only they could understand!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Go not forth in the heat! Say: The heat of hell is more intense of heat, if they but understood.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Let them, then, laugh a little - for they will weep a lot¹¹³ in return for what they have earned.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and let them weep a lot".

Let them laugh a little; much will they weep as a recompense for what they have earned.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then let them laugh a little: they will weep much, as the award of what they used to earn.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, [O Prophet,] if God brings thee again face to face with some of them,¹¹⁴ and then they ask thy leave to go forth [to war with thee], say: "Never shall you go forth with me, nor shall you fight an enemy together with me! Behold, you were well-pleased to stay at home on that first occasion: stay at home, then, with those who [are obliged to] remain behind!"¹¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "if God brings thee back [from the campaign] to a group of them" - i.e., to those hypocrites who remained at home under false pretences.

I.e., with the old men, the women, the children and the sick, who are not able or not expected to go to war (Manar X, 662).

From now on, if Allah brings you among them and any of them ask your permission to go forth for Jihad, say: "You shall never be allowed to go forth with me nor fight an enemy in my company. You chose to sit inactive on the first occasion, therefore you shall now stay with those who stay behind."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If Allah bring thee back (from the campaign) unto a party of them and they ask of thee leave to go out (to fight), then say unto them: Ye shall never more go out with me nor fight with me against a foe. Ye were content with sitting still the first time. So sit still, with the useless.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And never shalt thou pray over any of them that has died, and never shalt thou stand by his grave:¹¹⁶ for, behold, they were bent on denying God and His Apostle, and they died in this their iniquity.¹¹⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., unless he has repented before his death. It is reported that when the life-long opponent of the Prophet and leader of the hypocrites of Medina,'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy was dying, he sent his son to the Prophet with the request that the latter give him his (the Prophet's) shirt, so that he might be buried in it, and that the Prophet should pray over him after his death. The Prophet took this request as a sign of Ibn Ubayy's repentance, and gave him his shirt and later led the funeral prayers over his body. When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab vehemently protested against this clemency towards the man whom all the believers had regarded as "God's enemy", the Prophet answered, "God has granted me a choice in this matter [a reference to verse {80} of this surah, "whether thou dost pray that they be forgiven or dost not pray...", etc.], and so I shall pray [for him] more than seventy times." Several variants of this Tradition are to be found in Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Hanbal. on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas; Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Ibn 'Umar; Muslim, on the authority of Jabir ibn'Abd Allah; and in various other hadith compilations. Since 'Abd Allah ibn Ubayy died some time after the Prophet's return from Tabuk, while verse {84} - like most of this surah - was revealed during the campaign, it is clear that the prohibition expressed in this verse relates only (as the sequence shows) to those who "were bent on denying God and His Apostle, and [who] died in this their iniquity" - that is, to unrepentant sinners.

Lit., "while they were iniquitous".

You shall never offer funeral prayer for any of them who dies, nor shall you attend their burial, for they have denied Allah and His Rasool and died while they were transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dieth, nor stand by his grave. Lo! they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and they died while they were evil-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And let not their worldly goods and [the happiness which they may derive from] their children excite thy admiration: God but wants to chastise them by these means in [the life of] this world, and [to cause] their souls to depart while they are [still] denying the truth.¹¹⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 3:178 and 8:28 , as well as the corresponding notes. This (almost literal) repetition of {verse 55} above is meant to stress the psychological importance of this problem (Zamakhshari) - namely, the insignificance of worldly happiness as compared with spiritual righteousness or the absence of it.

Let neither their wealth nor their children dazzle you. Through these Allah wants to punish them in this world and let their souls depart while they are still disbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Let not their wealth nor their children please thee! Allah purposeth only to punish them thereby in the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall