Surah 9. At-Tawbah

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-16 [2], 17-24 [3], 25-29 [4], 30-37 [5], 38-42 [6], 43-59 [7], 60-66 [8], 67-72 [9], 73-80 [10], 81-89 [11], 90-99 [12], 100-110 [13], 111-118 [14], 119-122 [15], 123-129 [16]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-109. At-Tawbah Page 1879. At-TawbahبَرَآءَةٌFreedom from obligationsمِّنَfromاللّٰهِAllahوَ رَسُوْلِهٖۤand His Messengerاِلَیtoالَّذِیْنَthose (with) whomعٰهَدْتُّمْyou made a treatyمِّنَfromالْمُشْرِكِیْنَؕthe polytheists فَسِیْحُوْاSo move aboutفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landاَرْبَعَةَ(during) fourاَشْهُرٍmonthsوَّ اعْلَمُوْۤاbut knowاَنَّكُمْthat youغَیْرُ(can) notمُعْجِزِیescapeاللّٰهِ ۙAllahوَ اَنَّand thatاللّٰهَAllahمُخْزِی(is) the One Who (will) disgraceالْكٰفِرِیْنَ the disbelievers وَ اَذَانٌAnd an announcementمِّنَfrom Allahاللّٰهِfrom Allahوَ رَسُوْلِهٖۤand His Messengerاِلَیtoالنَّاسِthe peopleیَوْمَ(on the) dayالْحَجِّ(of) the greater Pilgrimageالْاَكْبَرِ(of) the greater PilgrimageاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahبَرِیْٓءٌ(is) free from obligationsمِّنَ[of]الْمُشْرِكِیْنَ ۙ۬(to) the polytheistsوَ رَسُوْلُهٗ ؕand (so is) His MessengerفَاِنْSo ifتُبْتُمْyou repentفَهُوَthen, it isخَیْرٌbestلَّكُمْ ۚfor youوَ اِنْBut ifتَوَلَّیْتُمْyou turn awayفَاعْلَمُوْۤاthen knowاَنَّكُمْthat youغَیْرُ(can) notمُعْجِزِیescapeاللّٰهِ ؕAllahوَ بَشِّرِAnd give glad tidingsالَّذِیْنَ(to) those whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveبِعَذَابٍof a punishmentاَلِیْمٍۙpainful اِلَّاExceptالَّذِیْنَthose (with) whomعٰهَدْتُّمْyou have a treatyمِّنَamongالْمُشْرِكِیْنَthe polytheistsثُمَّthenلَمْnotیَنْقُصُوْكُمْthey have failed youشَیْـًٔا(in any) thingوَّ لَمْand notیُظَاهِرُوْاthey have supportedعَلَیْكُمْagainst youاَحَدًاanyoneفَاَتِمُّوْۤاso fulfilاِلَیْهِمْto themعَهْدَهُمْtheir treatyاِلٰیtillمُدَّتِهِمْ ؕtheir termاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیُحِبُّlovesالْمُتَّقِیْنَ the righteous فَاِذَاThen whenانْسَلَخَhave passedالْاَشْهُرُthe sacred monthsالْحُرُمُthe sacred monthsفَاقْتُلُواthen killالْمُشْرِكِیْنَthe polytheistsحَیْثُwhereverوَجَدْتُّمُوْهُمْyou find themوَ خُذُوْهُمْand seize themوَ احْصُرُوْهُمْand besiege themوَ اقْعُدُوْاand sit (in wait)لَهُمْfor themكُلَّ(at) everyمَرْصَدٍ ۚplace of ambushفَاِنْBut ifتَابُوْاthey repentوَ اَقَامُواand establishالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerوَ اٰتَوُاand giveالزَّكٰوةَthe zakahفَخَلُّوْاthen leaveسَبِیْلَهُمْ ؕtheir wayاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ Most Merciful وَ اِنْAnd ifاَحَدٌanyoneمِّنَofالْمُشْرِكِیْنَthe polytheistsاسْتَجَارَكَseek your protectionفَاَجِرْهُthen grant him protectionحَتّٰیuntilیَسْمَعَhe hearsكَلٰمَ(the) Words of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) Words of AllahثُمَّThenاَبْلِغْهُescort himمَاْمَنَهٗ ؕ(to) his place of safetyذٰلِكَThatبِاَنَّهُمْ(is) because theyقَوْمٌ(are) a peopleلَّا(who) do not knowیَعْلَمُوْنَ۠(who) do not know 9. At-Tawbah Page 188كَیْفَHowیَكُوْنُcan (there) beلِلْمُشْرِكِیْنَfor the polytheistsعَهْدٌa covenantعِنْدَwithاللّٰهِAllahوَ عِنْدَand withرَسُوْلِهٖۤHis Messengerاِلَّاexceptالَّذِیْنَthose (with) whomعٰهَدْتُّمْyou made a treatyعِنْدَnearالْمَسْجِدِAl-Masjidالْحَرَامِ ۚAl-HaraamفَمَاSo long asاسْتَقَامُوْاthey are uprightلَكُمْto youفَاسْتَقِیْمُوْاthen you be uprightلَهُمْ ؕto themاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیُحِبُّlovesالْمُتَّقِیْنَ the righteous كَیْفَHowوَ اِنْwhile, ifیَّظْهَرُوْاthey gain dominanceعَلَیْكُمْover youلَاthey do not regard (the ties)یَرْقُبُوْاthey do not regard (the ties)فِیْكُمْwith youاِلًّا(of) kinshipوَّ لَاand notذِمَّةً ؕcovenant of protectionیُرْضُوْنَكُمْThey satisfy youبِاَفْوَاهِهِمْwith their mouthsوَ تَاْبٰیbut refuseقُلُوْبُهُمْ ۚtheir heartsوَ اَكْثَرُهُمْand most of themفٰسِقُوْنَۚ(are) defiantly disobedient اِشْتَرَوْاThey exchangeبِاٰیٰتِ[with] the Verses of Allahاللّٰهِ[with] the Verses of Allahثَمَنًا(for) a little priceقَلِیْلًا(for) a little priceفَصَدُّوْاand they hinder (people)عَنْfromسَبِیْلِهٖ ؕHis wayاِنَّهُمْIndeedسَآءَevilمَا(is) whatكَانُوْاthey used toیَعْمَلُوْنَ do لَاNotیَرْقُبُوْنَthey respect (the ties)فِیْtowardsمُؤْمِنٍa believerاِلًّا(of) kinshipوَّ لَاand notذِمَّةً ؕcovenant of protectionوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَAnd thoseهُمُ[they]الْمُعْتَدُوْنَ (are) the transgressors

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Surah Introduction

This sûrah, which is perceived as a continuation of the previous sûrah, begins by openly terminating the peace treaties constantly violated by the pagans. The believers are urged to march forth with the Prophet ( ﷺ ) for the Battle of Tabûk in the summer of 9 A.H./631 C.E. Hypocrites are exposed and their false excuses are refuted. Muslims are reminded of how Allah turned the believers' initial defeat into sweeping victory at the Battle of Ḥunain and how Allah saved His Messenger ( ﷺ ) from the pagans during his migration to Medina. Allah's acceptance of repentance is echoed throughout the sûrah, hence its title.

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Translation of Verse 1-10

1. ˹This is˺ a discharge from all obligations, by Allah and His Messenger, to the polytheists you ˹believers˺ have entered into treaties with:

2. "You ˹polytheists˺ may travel freely through the land for four months, but know that you will have no escape from Allah, and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers."

3. A declaration from Allah and His Messenger ˹is made˺ to all people on the day of the greater pilgrimage ³⁵¹ that Allah and His Messenger are free of the polytheists. So if you ˹pagans˺ repent, it will be better for you. But if you turn away, then know that you will have no escape from Allah. And give good news ˹O Prophet˺ to the disbelievers of a painful punishment.

4. As for the polytheists who have honoured every term of their treaty with you and have not supported an enemy against you, honour your treaty with them until the end of its term. Surely Allah loves those who are mindful ˹of Him˺.

5. But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ˹who violated their treaties˺ wherever you find them, ³⁵² capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. And if anyone from the polytheists asks for your protection ˹O Prophet˺, grant it to them so they may hear the Word of Allah, then escort them to a place of safety, for they are a people who have no knowledge.

7. How can such polytheists have a treaty with Allah and His Messenger, except those you have made a treaty with at the Sacred Mosque? ³⁵³ So, as long as they are true to you, be true to them. Indeed Allah loves those who are mindful ˹of Him˺.

8. How ˹can they have a treaty˺? If they were to have the upper hand over you, they would have no respect for kinship or treaty. They only flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts are in denial, and most of them are rebellious.

9. They chose a fleeting gain over Allah's revelations, hindering ˹others˺ from His Way. Evil indeed is what they have done!

10. They do not honour the bonds of kinship or treaties with the believers. It is they who are the transgressors.

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Commentary

351. The 10 th of Ⱬul-Ḥijjah , a significant day in the greater pilgrimage ( ḥajj). The lesser pilgrimage is known as 'umrah.

352. i.e., inside or outside the sanctuary of the Sacred House in Mecca.

353. This is known as the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyah, which was signed by the Prophet ( ﷺ ) and the pagans of Mecca in 6 A.H./628 C.E., diffusing the tension between Muslims and the Meccans and affirming a 10-year peace truce. The treaty was violated by the Meccans in 8 A.H/630 C.E.