9. At-Tawba

(And among those around you of the wandering Arabs) the tribes of Asad and Ghatafan (there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Medina) 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his host ((there are some who) persist in hypocrisy whom thou (O Muhammad) knowest not) whose hypocrisy you do not know. (We, We know them) We know their hypocrisy, (and We shall chastise them twice) once upon taking away their souls and another time in the grave; (then they will be relegated to a painful doom) to the chastisement of hell.

(And (there are) others) and of the people of Medina, there are other people: Wadi'ah Ibn Judham al-Ansari, Abu Lubabah Ibn 'Abd al-Mundhir al-Ansari and Abu Tha'labah (who have acknowledged their faults) by not joining in the Battle of Tabuk. (They mixed a righteous action) they went forth with the Prophet (pbuh) once (with another that was bad) and stayed behind once. (It may be) 'may be' ['asa] when used in connection with Allah denotes a requisite (that Allah will relent towards them) forgive them. (Lo! Allah is Relenting) towards those who repent among them, (Merciful) towards he who dies in a state of repentance.

Allah then explained to the Prophet (pbuh) what he should take of their wealth because they had asked him to take some of it because they had stayed behind and not taken part in the Battle of Tabuk. But the Prophet (pbuh) initially refused to take anything from them until, that is, Allah explained the matter to him, saying: (Take alms) a third (of their wealth) the wealth of those who stayed behind, wherewith thou mayst purify them) from their sins (and mayst make them grow) and reform them with it, (and pray for them) ask forgiveness for them and make supplication for them. (Lo! Your prayer) your asking for their forgiveness and your supplications (is an assuagement for them) tranquillity for their hearts that their repentance will be accepted. (Allah is Hearer) of what they say, i.e. their saying: take our wealth, (Knower) of their repentance and intention.

(Know they not that Allah is He Who accepteth repentance from His bondmen and taketh the alms) and accepts the alms, (and that Allah is He Who is the Relenting) the Forgiving, (the Merciful) towards he who repents.

(And (there are) others) there are other people of Medina: Ka'b Ibn Malik, Murarah Ibn al-Rabi' and Hilal Ibn Umayyah (who await Allah's decree) their matter awaits Allah's command, (whether He will punish them) because of their staying behind and not taking part in the Battle of Tabuk (or will forgive them) for so doing. (Allah is Knower) of their repentance and also of their staying behind, (Wise) in that which ordained concerning them.

(And as for those who chose) built (a place of worship) the reference here is to 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy, Jadd Ibn Qays, Mu'attib Ibn Qushayr and their friends, who were about 17 in number, (out of opposition) out of harm for the believers (and disbelief) in their hearts; standing firm in their disbelief, i.e. hypocrisy, (and in order to cause dissent among the believers) such that a party of the believers performed their prayers in their mosque and a party in the Mosque of the Messenger, (and as an outpost) waiting (for those who warred against Allah and His messenger) for those who disbelieved in Allah and his Messenger (aforetime) before them, referring here to Abu 'Amir, the monk, whom the Prophet (pbuh) called a sinner [fasiq], (they will surely swear: We purposed) by building the mosque (naught save good) save good for the believers so that those who miss the prayer in Quba' Mosque can pray therein. (Allah beareth witness) Allah knows (that they verily are liars) in their oaths.

(Never stand (to pray) there) never pray in the mosque of opposition. (A place of worship) i.e. the mosque of Quba' (which was founded upon duty (to Allah)) which was founded upon obedience and remembrance of Allah (from the first day) the Prophet (pbuh) entered Medina; it is also said this means: the first mosque ever built in Medina (is more worthy) is more right (that thou shouldst stand (to pray) therein) in the mosque of Quba', (wherein are men who love to purify themselves) men who wash their behinds with water [after defecating]. (Allah loveth the purifiers) those who purify themselves from filth with water.

(Is he who founded his building) is he who builds its foundation (upon duty to Allah) upon obedience and remembrance of Allah (and His good pleasure) they built the will of their Lord's good pleasure, i.e. the mosque of Quba' (better; or he who founded his building) or he who builds its foundation, i.e. the mosque of opposition (on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice) without a base (so that it toppled with him) the one who build it (into the fire of hell? Allah guideth not wrong-doing folk) Allah neither forgives the hypocrites nor saves them.

(The building which they built will never cease to be) after its destruction (a misgiving) a distress and a regret (in their hearts unless their hearts be torn to pieces) unless they die. (Allah is Knower) of their building of a mosque of opposition as well as of their intentions, (Wise) when He ordained the destruction and burning of this mosque. After returning from the Battle of Tabuk, the Prophet (pbuh) sent 'Amir Ibn Qays and Wahshiyy, the client of Mut'am Ibn 'Adiyy, who destroyed and burnt this mosque of opposition.