Surah At-Tawbah 9:11-16 - Quran Translation Commentary

11. But if they repent, and establish Salat and pay Zakat, then they are your brethren in faith²⁰. Thus we explain in detail Our revelations for the people who know.²¹

12. And if they break their pledges²² after making a treaty with you and revile your faith,²³ make war on the leaders²⁴ of disbelief, for no oaths are binding on them so that they may desist.

13. Will you not fight against those who have broken their oaths²⁵ and plotted to drive out the messenger²⁶ (from his native place), and attack you first ?²⁷ Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.

14. Fight them: Allah will chastise them at your hands,²⁸ and will disgrace them, and will grant you victory over them,²⁹ and He will heal the breasts of the believers; ³⁰

15. And He will remove the anger of their hearts;³¹ and Allah will guide to repent whom He will.³² Allah is All-knowing, Wise.

16. Did you imagine that you would be let off (untested), when Allah has not yet known who among you fought in jihad,³³ and who did not take anybody except Allah, His messenger and believers as worthy of trust? ³⁴ Allah is fully aware of what you do.

Commentary

20. That is: If they give up their hostile acts and establish salat and pay zakat, it would be a proof that they have abandoned polytheism and have embraced monotheism. Therefore, in such an event your relationship with them would be that of religious brotherhood. It may be noted that in the Islamic brotherhood there is no distinction between a Muslim and a neo-Muslim. Their social status is equal.

21. That is: the commands concerning the polytheists have been mentioned very clearly and in detail, but these commands can benefit only those who know that the source of guidance is Allah’s revelations and nothing else. Travellers in the light of knowledge can receive guidance at every step from Allah’s signs (revelations), and wanderers in the darkness of ignorance are deprived of this guidance.

22. In the foregoing verses the conditions of the different groups of polytheists have been described and appropriate commands have been given. In this verse the mention of that group of idolaters is being made who had not only dishonoured the treaties but had also started reviling and making fun of Islam; and Muslims were exhorted to wage a war against them.

23. It becomes clear that to make fun of Islam or revile it and to insult Allah and His messenger is an act of disbelief and a very serious crime.

24. That is: In the battle make the leaders and chiefs of the disbelievers your targets as they are the greatest mischief-makers, and it should be your duty that you root out evil and mischievous persons so that humanity may be saved from them.

25. This refers to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, made in the month of Zil Qa’dah, (06 A.H.), which. was dishonoured by the Quraish. The violation was in this form: The tribe of Banu Bakr, who were the allies of the Quraish attacked Banu Khuza‘h, who were the allies of the Prophet. In this fighting, the Quraish helped Banu Bakr, and when the members of the Khuza‘h tribe took shelter in the Haram, the Quraish killed them. Banu Khuza‘h complained to the Prophet, as it was an open violation of the treaty by Banu Bakr and Quraish. So the Treaty of Hudaibiyah was broken. This violation of the treaty is mentioned in the verse under reference, and Muslims are exhorted to wage a war against the violaters. Accordingly, in the month of Ramzan of 08 (A.H.) the historic event of the victory of Makkah took place.

26. Before the migration of the prophet to Madina, the Quraish were indulging in various types of conspiracy against him. One conspiracy envisaged that the Prophet should be banished from Makkah, but the conspirators were not successful, and the Prophet migrated to Madina as commanded by Allah in such a way that the Quraish could not inflict any harm on him. These diabolical intentions of the idolaters are alluded to, in this verse.

27. That is: The initiative to march on, to the Muslims of Madina was taken by the Quraish (polytheists of Makkah),and they came to the battleground of Badr as aggressors.

Do you consider the provision of a drinking water to the Hajis (pilgrims) and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque equally worthy of (the services of one) who believe in Allah and the last day, and strove (in jihad) in the cause ofAllah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah, and Allah does not guide the wrong doing people. (Al-Quran)

28. This was the plan of Allah about the idolaters of Makkah and Arabia, which has been openly stated here. In other words, their destruction was not to be caused by any heavenly punishment but by the swords of the Muslims. And this prophecy of the Qur’an was proved to be totally true.

29. After the revelation of these verses, Makkah was conquered and thereafter the series of victories went on so rapidly that in a period of two years the entire land of Arabia came under the rule of Muslims.

30. The polytheists of Makkah had been oppressing and tyrannising Muslims and had subjected them to extreme hardships and sufferings. It was, therefore, natural that the hearts of Muslims were filled with joy when they saw the downfall of their aggressors.

31. The anger that the Muslims nurtured in their hearts against the idolaters was on account of their polytheism and idolatry and the defeat of the idolaters was the defeat of idolatry and polytheism and the victory of tawheed, and this fact would be instrumental in removing the anger from the hearts of Muslims.

32. This was the positive result of jihad, which ensued in a big way. Those, who were afflicted by negligence and no counsel or admonition had any effect on them, were awakened when they saw the fighting. They realised their faults. Accordingly a very large number of idolaters were blessed with guidance and embraced Islam. In this way the ground for their safety from the fire of Hell was prepared. What could be more beneficial to them than this safety!

After the revelation of this verse, the persons who were guided to repent included Abu Sufyan, leader of the Quraish and Ikramah, son of Abu Jahl.

33. The main addressees of this verse are those Muslims who had come to the fold of Islam very recently, and who had not as yet had the occasion to fight in jihad.

34. The sense in which Muslims are prohibited to cultivate friendship with disbelievers has been explained in Note No.164 of Surah Maidah (Table Spread).