Surah At-Tawbah 9:38-42 - Quran Translation Commentary

38. O you who believe! what is the matter with you that when you were asked to march out in the way of Allah you clung heavily to the earth⁷⁵? Are you more pleased with the life of, this world than the Hereafter⁷⁶ when provision of this world is very little compared to the Hereafter?

39. If you do not march out for Jihad, He will punish you with grievous punishment⁷⁷, and replace you by other people⁷⁸, and you will not be able to harm Him in the least ⁷⁹. And Allah has power over all things.

40. If you do not help him⁸⁰ ( the prophet) (it does not matter), for Allah helped him when the disbelievers drove him out ⁸¹, (he was) second of the two; when they were in the cave he was saying to his companion: “Do not grieve, verily Allah is with us”. Then Allah sent down His tranquillity on him ⁸², and helped him with invisible warriors⁸³, and humbled the word of the disbelievers to the lowest depth, and Allah’s Word is Exalted to the heights. Allah is Mighty, Wise⁸⁴.

41. March out, whether light or heavy⁸⁵ (armed), and strive in the way of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you only knew⁸⁶.

42. Had the gain been immediate or the journey short, they would have followed you, but the distance seemed too far to them⁸⁷. They would now swear by Allah and say: “Had we been able, we would surely have set out with you”. They destroy themselves⁸⁸. And Allah knows that verily they are liars.

Commentary

75. Refers to the Tabuk expedition. which took place in the month of Rajab. 09 A.H. (November 630 A.D.). After the victory of Makkah. Islam had acquired political power and was spreading through the length and breadth of Arabia like wild fire. At that time the most powerful kingdom was the Roman empire. whose borders had stretched up to Syria. In Syria the Ghassani clan. which was Christian, was ruling under the aegis of the Romans. The Roman Caeser started making preparations for invading Madina to subdue the rising power of Muslims. When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) got an inkling of this. he marched out with an army of thirty thousand mujahideen to fight against the Romans. It was a very hot summer. and it was harvest time; the journey was a very long one and therefore. going out on an expedition in such uncomfortable circumstances seemed most unattractive. Those whose hearts were afflicted with the disease of hypocrisy could not be expected to march out to bear all these hardships. They preferred to remain within the safety and comforts of the four walls of their homes. Besides them. among the Muslims there were a few who were weak and for them too this journey had become very trying, and some had become a prey to their own negligence.

The Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wasallam) camped in Tabuk for about two weeks. Tabuk is in the north of Madina, about 686 kilometers away. The Romans did not offer a fight, so the expected battle did not take place. But by this step of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) the Muslims had left a deep impression on the minds of the Romans. The second benefit that was derived from this action was that in the border areas the Christian tribes that were under the Roman influence became subservient to the Islamic state. Accordingly the people of Aila, Jarba. Azruh. and Ukaidir made a treaty with him and agreed to pay jizyah. The third great benefit was that the training and experience of challenging the world’s mightiest power subsequently encouraged them to gain victory over the two greatest military powers of the time, Roman and Persian empires. during the caliphate of Umar (R).

This is the brief description of the background when this series of the Verses were revealed, of which this one is the first.

76. A man avoids going on jihad because he is interested in making money for the comforts of this world. If he were interested or anxious to make provision for the Hereafter, he would consider it his good fortune if he gets a chance to go on jihad.

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not request you for exemption from taking part in jihad with their wealth and their lives. And Allah knows well those who fear Him. Only those request your leave who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are filled with doubt, so they waver in their doubt. (Al-Quran)

77. When such a severe warning is given for avoidance to go on jihad on this one occasion, then how much serious will be the consequences if Muslims were to seek excuses to avoid going on jihad on a permanent basis either for the sake of worldly comforts or under the influence of false ideologies. The pitiable conditions in which the Muslims find themselves today is mainly due to the fact that the spirit of jihad has gone out of their hearts. Had they had the spirit of jihad in their hearts, then neither they would have lost Baitul Maqdis nor would have they been disgraced at the hands of Israel.

78. That is: The plan of Allah does not depend on you for its fulfilment. If you would not strive for the promotion of Allah’s religion. He will raise another people in your place to do that.

79. If you are careless in the performance of this duty, then think who would be the loser.? Would it be Allah. or would it be your own self and your community?

80. That is the Prophet, Muhammad (Sallal lahu Alaihi Wasallam).

81. Refers to the event of migration, which took place thirteen years after the prophethood was conferred on Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in 632 A.D. The Prophet had left Makkah as commanded by God, but as the disbelievers had created such conditions that forced him to leave his home, it is said here: “the disbelievers drove him out.”

82. The Quraish had conspired to kill the prophet, and for this purpose they had placed guards outside his house. But he managed to get out of his house in such a way that none could notice it. At the time of migration Abu Bakr (R) was with him. From Makkah he was to go to Madina, which was in the north. But he purposely went towards the south so that the enemy could not follow him. He took shelter in the Cave of Mount Thaur which is ‘at a distance of about 5 kilometers from Makkah. Here he spent three nights. On this dangerous occasion he did not have a large group of people with him, but only a friend, Abu Bakr (R). When the enemy in his pursuit reached the mouth of the cave, Abu Bakr (R) was worried that they might see them. But the Prophet (Peace be upon him) reassured him not to worry as Allah was with them. And God had ordained it so that his pursuers did not even throw a glimpse towards them in the cave. This was a great help from Allah which came to him at such a dangerous moment. A reference is made to this help in the verse and the Muslims are told that if they would not march out with the Prophet for jihad, Allah does not care, He would help His Messenger in all circumstances, as He had helped him on the dangerous occasion of his migration, when there was none, except the two, the prophet and his companion in the cave.

83. Means the help of the angels, which was provided during the battles of Badr and Hunain and on other occasions.

84. Allah is the Mightiest Being, that is why His reign is supreme. He is the wisest of all, that is why He can adopt the wisest method for helping His Messenger.

85. That is: The arms and the equipment may be sufficient or when you are commanded to march out for jihad, you must obey it.

It should be noted that at that time all Muslims were commanded to come out for jihad, Only the women or those who had reasonable excuses were exempted. It may also be noted that the Arabs having been brought up in a tribal society generally knew swordsmanship and almost every Arab carried a sword. Moreover, at that time the nature of jihad was this: it was a jihad under the leadership of the Prophet, fully organized and purely for the purpose of raising high the word of Allah, against His enemies. Therefore, there was no reason for anybody, except disabled or weak, to remain behind.

The general aspect of this command is when there is an occasion for an organized Jihad, and when the Muslim leader in power commands the Muslims for jihad, it becomes their duty to join. This is the principle, but in modern times regular armies of the state undertake the actual fighting.

86. That is: If you have eyes on the consequence, then you will realize that to stake one’s wealth and life in the cause of Allah is in reality a means of good fortune.

87. This describes the fate hypocrites, who avoided taking part in the Expedition of Tabuk, when all the Muslims were commanded to come out for jihad. It shows that when a general call is given, avoiding to come out for jihad is not the way of work of a sincere follower.

88. That is: By offering false excuses they are preparing their own means of destruction.