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 38-42یٰۤاَیُّهَاO you who believeالَّذِیْنَO you who believeاٰمَنُوْاO you who believeمَاWhatلَكُمْ(is the matter) with youاِذَاwhenقِیْلَit is saidلَكُمُto youانْفِرُوْاgo forthفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahاثَّاقَلْتُمْyou cling heavilyاِلَیtoالْاَرْضِ ؕthe earthاَرَضِیْتُمْAre you pleasedبِالْحَیٰوةِwith the lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldمِنَ(rather) thanالْاٰخِرَةِ ۚthe HereafterفَمَاBut whatمَتَاعُ(is the) enjoymentالْحَیٰوةِ(of) the lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldفِیin (comparison to)الْاٰخِرَةِthe hereafterاِلَّاexceptقَلِیْلٌ a little اِلَّاIf notتَنْفِرُوْاyou go forthیُعَذِّبْكُمْHe will punish youعَذَابًا(with) a painful punishmentاَلِیْمًا ۙ۬(with) a painful punishmentوَّ یَسْتَبْدِلْand will replace youقَوْمًا(with) a peopleغَیْرَكُمْother than youوَ لَاand notتَضُرُّوْهُyou can harm Himشَیْـًٔا ؕ(in) anythingوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلٰی(is) onكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingقَدِیْرٌ All-Powerful اِلَّاIf notتَنْصُرُوْهُyou help himفَقَدْcertainlyنَصَرَهُAllah helped himاللّٰهُAllah helped himاِذْwhenاَخْرَجَهُdrove him outالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedثَانِیَthe secondاثْنَیْنِ(of) the twoاِذْwhenهُمَاthey bothفِی(were) inالْغَارِthe caveاِذْwhenیَقُوْلُhe saidلِصَاحِبِهٖto his companionلَا(Do) notتَحْزَنْgrieveاِنَّindeedاللّٰهَAllahمَعَنَا ۚ(is) with usفَاَنْزَلَThen Allah sent downاللّٰهُThen Allah sent downسَكِیْنَتَهٗHis tranquilityعَلَیْهِupon himوَ اَیَّدَهٗand supported himبِجُنُوْدٍwith forcesلَّمْwhich you did not seeتَرَوْهَاwhich you did not seeوَ جَعَلَand madeكَلِمَةَ(the) wordالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoكَفَرُواdisbelievedالسُّفْلٰی ؕthe lowestوَ كَلِمَةُwhile (the) Wordاللّٰهِ(of) Allahهِیَit (is)الْعُلْیَا ؕthe highestوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَزِیْزٌ(is) All-Mightyحَكِیْمٌ All-Wise 9. At-Tawbah Page 194اِنْفِرُوْاGo forthخِفَافًاlightوَّ ثِقَالًاor heavyوَّ جَاهِدُوْاand striveبِاَمْوَالِكُمْwith your wealthوَ اَنْفُسِكُمْand your livesفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahذٰلِكُمْThatخَیْرٌ(is) betterلَّكُمْfor youاِنْifكُنْتُمْyouتَعْلَمُوْنَ know لَوْIfكَانَit had beenعَرَضًاa gainقَرِیْبًاnearوَّ سَفَرًاand a journeyقَاصِدًاeasyلَّاتَّبَعُوْكَsurely they (would) have followed youوَ لٰكِنْۢbutبَعُدَتْwas longعَلَیْهِمُfor themالشُّقَّةُ ؕthe distanceوَ سَیَحْلِفُوْنَAnd they will swearبِاللّٰهِby AllahلَوِIfاسْتَطَعْنَاwe were ableلَخَرَجْنَاcertainly we (would) have come forthمَعَكُمْ ۚwith youیُهْلِكُوْنَThey destroyاَنْفُسَهُمْ ۚtheir own selvesوَ اللّٰهُand Allahیَعْلَمُknowsاِنَّهُمْ(that) indeed theyلَكٰذِبُوْنَ۠(are) surely liars

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Translation of Verse 38-42

38. O believers! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling firmly to ˹your˺ land? ³⁶⁶ Do you prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter? The enjoyment of this worldly life is insignificant compared to that of the Hereafter.

39. If you do not march forth, He will afflict you with a painful torment and replace you with other people. You are not harming Him in the least. And Allah is Most Capable of everything.

40. ˹It does not matter˺ if you ˹believers˺ do not support him, for Allah did in fact support him when the disbelievers drove him out ˹of Mecca˺ and he was only one of two. While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion, ³⁶⁷ "Do not worry; Allah is certainly with us." So Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you ˹believers˺ did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

41. ˹O believers!˺ March forth whether it is easy or difficult for you, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if only you knew.

42. Had the gain been within reach and the journey shorter, they would have followed you, but the distance seemed too long for them. And they will swear by Allah, "Had we been able, we would have certainly joined you." They are ruining themselves. And Allah knows that they are surely lying.

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Commentary

366. The fast pace of the spread of Islam in Arabia in the 7 th century was intimidating to the world's two superpowers of that time: the Romans and Persians. The Prophet ( ﷺ ) received the news that a Roman army was being mobilized to launch an attack on the newly established Muslim state in Medina, so he announced that he was going to march to Tabûk, located over 700 miles to the north, to meet the Romans in the summer of 9 A.H./631 C.E. It was a time of hardship because of the scorching heat, the long distance, and the financial situation of the Muslims. Although the Prophet ( ﷺ ) was able to mobilize over 30 000 Muslims for battle, many others did not join the army with or without valid excuses. Eventually, the Roman forces were discouraged from fighting and fled to Damascus and other cities under Roman rule. Therefore, the Prophet ( ﷺ ) returned to Medina with a feeling of triumph. With a new power now emerging in Arabia, many tribes started to switch their alliances from Caesar to the Prophet ( ﷺ ) .

367. Abu Bakr Aṣ-Ṣiddîq, Islam's first Caliph and a prominent figure in Islamic history. He accompanied the Prophet ( ﷺ ) during his emigration from Mecca to Medina after years of persecution at the hands of the Meccan pagans.