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 43-59عَفَا(May) Allah forgiveاللّٰهُ(May) Allah forgiveعَنْكَ ۚyouلِمَWhy (did)اَذِنْتَyou grant leaveلَهُمْto themحَتّٰیuntilیَتَبَیَّنَ(became) evidentلَكَto youالَّذِیْنَthose whoصَدَقُوْاwere truthfulوَ تَعْلَمَand you knewالْكٰذِبِیْنَ the liars لَا(Would) notیَسْتَاْذِنُكَask your permissionالَّذِیْنَthose whoیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِthe Lastاَنْthatیُّجَاهِدُوْاthey striveبِاَمْوَالِهِمْwith their wealthوَ اَنْفُسِهِمْ ؕand their livesوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) All-Knowerبِالْمُتَّقِیْنَ of the righteous اِنَّمَاOnlyیَسْتَاْذِنُكَask your leaveالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِthe Lastوَ ارْتَابَتْand (are in) doubtsقُلُوْبُهُمْtheir heartsفَهُمْso theyفِیْinرَیْبِهِمْtheir doubtsیَتَرَدَّدُوْنَ they waver وَ لَوْAnd ifاَرَادُواthey had wishedالْخُرُوْجَ(to) go forthلَاَعَدُّوْاsurely they (would) have preparedلَهٗfor itعُدَّةً(some) preparationوَّ لٰكِنْButكَرِهَAllah dislikedاللّٰهُAllah dislikedانْۢبِعَاثَهُمْtheir being sentفَثَبَّطَهُمْso He made them lag behindوَ قِیْلَand it was saidاقْعُدُوْاSitمَعَwithالْقٰعِدِیْنَ those who sit لَوْIfخَرَجُوْاthey (had) gone forthفِیْكُمْwith youمَّاnotزَادُوْكُمْthey (would) have increased youاِلَّاexceptخَبَالًا(in) confusionوَّ لَاۡاَوْضَعُوْاand would have been activeخِلٰلَكُمْin your midstیَبْغُوْنَكُمُseeking (for) youالْفِتْنَةَ ۚdissensionوَ فِیْكُمْAnd among you (are some)سَمّٰعُوْنَwho would have listenedلَهُمْ ؕto themوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahعَلِیْمٌۢ(is) All-Knowerبِالظّٰلِمِیْنَ of the wrongdoers 9. At-Tawbah Page 195لَقَدِVerilyابْتَغَوُاthey had soughtالْفِتْنَةَdissensionمِنْbeforeقَبْلُbeforeوَ قَلَّبُوْاand had upsetلَكَfor youالْاُمُوْرَthe mattersحَتّٰیuntilجَآءَcameالْحَقُّthe truthوَ ظَهَرَand became manifestاَمْرُ(the) Order of Allahاللّٰهِ(the) Order of Allahوَ هُمْwhile theyكٰرِهُوْنَ disliked (it) وَ مِنْهُمْAnd among themمَّنْ(is he) whoیَّقُوْلُsaysائْذَنْGrant me leaveلِّیْGrant me leaveوَ لَاand (do) notتَفْتِنِّیْ ؕput me to trialاَلَاSurelyفِیinالْفِتْنَةِthe trialسَقَطُوْا ؕthey have fallenوَ اِنَّAnd indeedجَهَنَّمَHellلَمُحِیْطَةٌۢ(will) surely surroundبِالْكٰفِرِیْنَ the disbelievers اِنْIfتُصِبْكَbefalls youحَسَنَةٌgoodتَسُؤْهُمْ ۚit distresses themوَ اِنْbut ifتُصِبْكَbefalls youمُصِیْبَةٌa calamityیَّقُوْلُوْاthey sayقَدْVerilyاَخَذْنَاۤwe tookاَمْرَنَاour matterمِنْbeforeقَبْلُbeforeوَ یَتَوَلَّوْاAnd they turn awayوَّ هُمْwhile theyفَرِحُوْنَ (are) rejoicing قُلْSayلَّنْNeverیُّصِیْبَنَاۤwill befall usاِلَّاexceptمَاwhatكَتَبَAllah has decreedاللّٰهُAllah has decreedلَنَا ۚfor usهُوَHeمَوْلٰىنَا ۚ(is) our Protectorوَ عَلَیAnd onاللّٰهِAllahفَلْیَتَوَكَّلِlet put (their) trustالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ The believers قُلْSayهَلْDoتَرَبَّصُوْنَyou awaitبِنَاۤfor usاِلَّاۤexceptاِحْدَیoneالْحُسْنَیَیْنِ ؕ(of) the two best (things)وَ نَحْنُwhile weنَتَرَبَّصُ[we] awaitبِكُمْfor youاَنْthatیُّصِیْبَكُمُAllah will afflict youاللّٰهُAllah will afflict youبِعَذَابٍwith a punishmentمِّنْfromعِنْدِهٖۤ[near] Himاَوْorبِاَیْدِیْنَا ۖؗby our handsفَتَرَبَّصُوْۤاSo waitاِنَّاindeed, weمَعَكُمْwith youمُّتَرَبِّصُوْنَ (are) waiting قُلْSayاَنْفِقُوْاSpendطَوْعًاwillinglyاَوْorكَرْهًاunwillinglyلَّنْneverیُّتَقَبَّلَwill be acceptedمِنْكُمْ ؕfrom youاِنَّكُمْIndeed youكُنْتُمْ[you] areقَوْمًاa peopleفٰسِقِیْنَ defiantly disobedient وَ مَاAnd notمَنَعَهُمْprevents themاَنْthatتُقْبَلَis acceptedمِنْهُمْfrom themنَفَقٰتُهُمْtheir contributionsاِلَّاۤexceptاَنَّهُمْthat theyكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ بِرَسُوْلِهٖand in His Messengerوَ لَاand notیَاْتُوْنَthey comeالصَّلٰوةَ(to) the prayerاِلَّاexceptوَ هُمْwhile theyكُسَالٰی(are) lazyوَ لَاand notیُنْفِقُوْنَthey spendاِلَّاexceptوَ هُمْwhile theyكٰرِهُوْنَ (are) unwilling 9. At-Tawbah Page 196فَلَاSo (let) notتُعْجِبْكَimpress youاَمْوَالُهُمْtheir wealthوَ لَاۤand notاَوْلَادُهُمْ ؕtheir childrenاِنَّمَاOnlyیُرِیْدُAllah intendsاللّٰهُAllah intendsلِیُعَذِّبَهُمْto punish themبِهَاwith itفِیinالْحَیٰوةِthe lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldوَ تَزْهَقَand should departاَنْفُسُهُمْtheir soulsوَ هُمْwhile theyكٰفِرُوْنَ (are) disbelievers وَ یَحْلِفُوْنَAnd they swearبِاللّٰهِby Allahاِنَّهُمْindeed theyلَمِنْكُمْ ؕsurely (are) of youوَ مَاwhile notهُمْtheyمِّنْكُمْ(are) of youوَ لٰكِنَّهُمْbut theyقَوْمٌ(are) a peopleیَّفْرَقُوْنَ (who) are afraid لَوْIfیَجِدُوْنَthey could findمَلْجَاًa refugeاَوْorمَغٰرٰتٍcavesاَوْorمُدَّخَلًاa place to enterلَّوَلَّوْاsurely they would turnاِلَیْهِto itوَ هُمْand theyیَجْمَحُوْنَ run wild وَ مِنْهُمْAnd among themمَّنْ(is he) whoیَّلْمِزُكَcriticizes youفِیconcerningالصَّدَقٰتِ ۚthe charitiesفَاِنْThen ifاُعْطُوْاthey are givenمِنْهَاfrom itرَضُوْاthey are pleasedوَ اِنْbut ifلَّمْnotیُعْطَوْاthey are givenمِنْهَاۤfrom itاِذَاthenهُمْtheyیَسْخَطُوْنَ (are) enraged وَ لَوْAnd ifاَنَّهُمْ[that] theyرَضُوْا(were) satisfiedمَاۤ(with) whatاٰتٰىهُمُAllah gave themاللّٰهُAllah gave themوَ رَسُوْلُهٗ ۙand His Messengerوَ قَالُوْاand saidحَسْبُنَاSufficient for usاللّٰهُ(is) AllahسَیُؤْتِیْنَاAllah will give usاللّٰهُAllah will give usمِنْofفَضْلِهٖHis Bountyوَ رَسُوْلُهٗۤ ۙand His MessengerاِنَّاۤIndeed, weاِلَیtoاللّٰهِAllahرٰغِبُوْنَ۠turn our hopes

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Translation of Verse 43-59

43. May Allah pardon you ˹O Prophet˺! Why did you give them permission ˹to stay behind˺ before those who told the truth were distinguished from those who were lying?

44. Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day do not ask for exemption from striving with their wealth and their lives. And Allah has perfect knowledge of those who are mindful ˹of Him˺.

45. No one would ask for exemption except those who have no faith in Allah or the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so they are torn by their doubts.

46. Had they ˹really˺ intended to march forth, they would have made preparations for it. But Allah disliked that they should go, so He let them lag behind, and it was said ˹to them˺, "Stay with those ˹helpless˺ who remain behind."

47. Had they gone forth with you ˹believers˺, they would have been nothing but trouble for you, and would have scrambled around, seeking to spread discord in your midst. And some of you would have eagerly listened to them. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of the wrongdoers.

48. They had already sought to spread discord before ³⁶⁸ and devised every ˹possible˺ plot against you ˹O Prophet˺, until the truth came and Allah's Will prevailed-much to their dismay.

49. There are some of them who say, "Exempt me and do not expose me to temptation." ³⁶⁹ They have already fallen into temptation. And Hell will surely engulf the disbelievers.

50. If a blessing befalls you ˹O Prophet˺, they grieve, but if a disaster befalls you, they say, "We took our precaution in advance," and turn away, rejoicing.

51. Say, "Nothing will ever befall us except what Allah has destined for us. He is our Protector." So in Allah let the believers put their trust.

52. Say, "Are you awaiting anything to befall us except one of the two best things: ˹victory or martyrdom˺? But We are awaiting Allah to afflict you with torment either from Him or at our hands. So keep waiting! We too are waiting with you."

53. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "˹Whether you˺ donate willingly or unwillingly, it will never be accepted from you, for you have been a rebellious people."

54. And what prevented their donations from being accepted is that they have lost faith in Allah and His Messenger, they never come to prayer except half-heartedly, and they never donate except resentfully.

55. So let neither their wealth nor children impress you ˹O Prophet˺. Allah only intends to torment them through these things in this worldly life, then their souls will depart while they are disbelievers.

56. They swear by Allah that they are part of you, but they are not. They only say so out of fear.

57. If only they could find a refuge, or a cave, or any hiding-place, they would rush headlong towards it.

58. There are some of them who are critical of your distribution of alms ˹O Prophet˺. If they are given some of it they are pleased, but if not they are enraged.

59. If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger had given them and said, "Allah is sufficient for us! Allah will grant us out of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. To Allah ˹alone˺ we turn with hope."

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Commentary

368. For example, 'Abdullâh ibn Ubai ibn Salûl, a chief hypocrite, marched with the Prophet ( ﷺ ) for the Battle of Uḥud in the outskirts of Medina, then decided not to join the fight and returned to Medina with his followers who made up around one third of the Muslim army.

369. Another hypocrite by the name of Jadd ibn Qais came to the Prophet ( ﷺ ) asking to be exempt from joining the army because he had a weakness for women and he was afraid that he would be tempted by Roman women.