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 81-89فَرِحَRejoiceالْمُخَلَّفُوْنَthose who remained behindبِمَقْعَدِهِمْin their stayingخِلٰفَbehindرَسُوْلِ(the) Messengerاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ كَرِهُوْۤاand they dislikedاَنْtoیُّجَاهِدُوْاstriveبِاَمْوَالِهِمْwith their wealthوَ اَنْفُسِهِمْand their livesفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ قَالُوْاand they saidلَا(Do) notتَنْفِرُوْاgo forthفِیinالْحَرِّ ؕthe heatقُلْSayنَارُ(The) Fireجَهَنَّمَ(of) Hellاَشَدُّ(is) more intenseحَرًّا ؕ(in) heatلَوْIf (only)كَانُوْاthey couldیَفْقَهُوْنَ understand فَلْیَضْحَكُوْاSo let them laughقَلِیْلًاa littleوَّ لْیَبْكُوْاand let them weepكَثِیْرًا ۚmuchجَزَآءًۢ(as) a recompenseبِمَاfor whatكَانُوْاthey used toیَكْسِبُوْنَ earn فَاِنْThen ifرَّجَعَكَAllah returns youاللّٰهُAllah returns youاِلٰیtoطَآىِٕفَةٍa groupمِّنْهُمْof themفَاسْتَاْذَنُوْكَand they ask you permissionلِلْخُرُوْجِto go outفَقُلْthen sayلَّنْNeverتَخْرُجُوْاwill you come outمَعِیَwith meاَبَدًاeverوَّ لَنْand neverتُقَاتِلُوْاwill you fightمَعِیَwith meعَدُوًّا ؕany enemyاِنَّكُمْIndeed, youرَضِیْتُمْwere satisfiedبِالْقُعُوْدِwith sittingاَوَّلَ(the) firstمَرَّةٍtimeفَاقْعُدُوْاso sitمَعَwithالْخٰلِفِیْنَ those who stay behind وَ لَاAnd notتُصَلِّyou prayعَلٰۤیforاَحَدٍanyمِّنْهُمْof themمَّاتَwho diesاَبَدًاeverوَّ لَاand notتَقُمْyou standعَلٰیbyقَبْرِهٖ ؕhis graveاِنَّهُمْIndeed theyكَفَرُوْاdisbelievedبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ رَسُوْلِهٖand His Messengerوَ مَاتُوْاand diedوَ هُمْwhile they wereفٰسِقُوْنَ defiantly disobedient وَ لَاAnd (let) notتُعْجِبْكَimpress youاَمْوَالُهُمْtheir wealthوَ اَوْلَادُهُمْ ؕand their childrenاِنَّمَاOnlyیُرِیْدُAllah intendsاللّٰهُAllah intendsاَنْtoیُّعَذِّبَهُمْpunish themبِهَاwith itفِیinالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ تَزْهَقَand will departاَنْفُسُهُمْtheir soulsوَ هُمْwhile theyكٰفِرُوْنَ (are) disbelievers وَ اِذَاۤAnd whenاُنْزِلَتْwas revealedسُوْرَةٌa Surahاَنْthatاٰمِنُوْاbelieveبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ جَاهِدُوْاand striveمَعَwithرَسُوْلِهِHis Messengerاسْتَاْذَنَكَask your permissionاُولُوا(the) menالطَّوْلِ(of) wealthمِنْهُمْamong themوَ قَالُوْاand saidذَرْنَاLeave usنَكُنْ(to) beمَّعَwithالْقٰعِدِیْنَ those who sit 9. At-Tawbah Page 201رَضُوْاThey (were) satisfiedبِاَنْtoیَّكُوْنُوْاbeمَعَwithالْخَوَالِفِthose who stay behindوَ طُبِعَand were sealedعَلٰی[on]قُلُوْبِهِمْtheir heartsفَهُمْso theyلَا(do) notیَفْقَهُوْنَ understand لٰكِنِButالرَّسُوْلُthe Messengerوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoاٰمَنُوْاbelievedمَعَهٗwith himجٰهَدُوْاstroveبِاَمْوَالِهِمْwith their wealthوَ اَنْفُسِهِمْ ؕand their livesوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَAnd thoseلَهُمُfor themالْخَیْرٰتُ ؗ(are) the good thingsوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَand thoseهُمُtheyالْمُفْلِحُوْنَ (are) the successful ones اَعَدَّAllah has preparedاللّٰهُAllah has preparedلَهُمْfor themجَنّٰتٍGardensتَجْرِیْflowsمِنْfromتَحْتِهَاunderneath itالْاَنْهٰرُthe riversخٰلِدِیْنَ(will) abide foreverفِیْهَا ؕin itذٰلِكَThatالْفَوْزُ(is) the successالْعَظِیْمُ۠the great

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Translation of Verse 81-89

[9:81] Those who were allowed to stay behind rejoiced at remaining behind and not accompanying the Messenger of Allah. They were averse to striving in the Way of Allah with their belongings and their lives and told others: "Do not go forth in this fierce heat." Tell them: "The Hell is far fiercer in heat." Would that they understand!

[9:82] Let them, then, laugh little, and weep much at the contemplation of the punishment for the evil they have committed.

[9:83] Then if Allah brings you face to face with a party of them, and they ask your leave to go forth (to fight in the Way of Allah), tell them: "You shall not go forth with me, and shall never fight against any enemy along with me. You were well-pleased to remain at home the first time, so now continue to remain with those who have stayed behind."

[9:84] Do not ever pray over any of them who dies, nor stand over his grave. They disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died in iniquity.⁸⁸

[9:85] Let not their riches or their children excite your admiration. Through these Allah seeks to chastise them in this world, and that their lives will depart them while they are unbelievers.

[9:86] And whenever any surah is revealed enjoining: "Believe in Allah and strive (in His Way) along with His Messenger," the affluent among them ask you to excuse them, saying: "Leave us with those who will sit back at home."

[9:87] They were content to stay behind with the womenfolk. Their hearts were sealed, leaving them bereft of understanding.⁸⁹

[9:88] But the Messenger and those who shared his faith strove with their belongings and their lives. It is they who shall have all kinds of good. It is they who shall prosper.

[9:89] Allah has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow. There shall they abide. That is the supreme triumph.

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Commentary

88. This verse was sent down to prevent the Prophet (peace be upon him) from saying funeral prayers for Abdullah bin Ubayy, the ringleader of the hypocrites, who died a short while after the Tabuk expedition. His son Abdullah who was a sincere Muslim called on the Prophet (peace be upon him) and requested him to give his shirt for his father’s shroud. The Prophet (peace be upon him) very generously granted his request. Then he begged the Prophet (peace be upon him) to lead his father’s funeral prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) agreed to this also but Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) very respectfully requested him repeatedly not to do so, saying, “O Prophet of Allah! will you say funeral prayer for a person who was guilty of such and such crimes and sins.” The Prophet (peace be upon him), who was a blessing both for friends and for foes, got ready to say funeral prayer even for that man who was a deadly enemy of Islam. At last when he stood up to lead the funeral prayer, this verse was sent down to prevent him from this by a direct command from God, in accordance with the changed policy declared in Ayat 73 which forbade to do anything that might encourage the hypocrites among the Muslims.

The above incident led to the formulation of the regulation that the leaders and prominent people from among the Muslims should neither lead, nor offer the funeral prayers of the sinners against Islam, or for those notorious for their disobedience to Islam. After this, whenever a request was made to the Prophet (peace be upon him) for a funeral prayer, he would first inquire about the conduct of the deceased person. If he came to know that he was a bad person, he would say to his people, “You may perform his burial just as you like”.

89. “They do not understand” for they deliberately and intentionally chose the shameful way of staying at home with women, when they were required to go forth for Jihad, though they were healthy, physically fit and well-to-do, and professed Islam. Therefore, according to the divine law of nature, a seal was set upon their hearts and they were bereft of those noble feelings which make one feel ashamed of adopting such a disgraceful conduct.