9. At-Tawba

Commentary

Sequence

Previous verses carried a condemnation of those staying behind without a valid excuse and missing the Jihad. The present verses take up the merit of mujahidin.

The background of revelation

As explained by the majority of commentators, these verses were revealed about the participants of Bai'atul-'Aqabah (the pledge of allegiance to the Holy Prophet ﷺ at al-'Aqabah) which was taken from the Ansar of Madinah before Hijrah in 'Makkah al-Mukarramah. Therefore, despite that the entire Surah is Madani, these verses have been termed as Makki.

'Al-'Aqabah' is part of a mountain. Here, it refers to the 'Aqabah that forms a part of the mountain along the Jamratu al-'Aqabah (the stone pillar of 'Aqabah) in Mina. (In our time, due to the increased number of Hujjaj [ Hajj pilgrims ], this part of the mountain has been leveled to form a smooth surface with the only exception of Jamarah [ the stone pillar ] which still stands there). It is on this 'Aqabah that a pledge of allegiance بیعۃ (bai'ah) was taken from the people of Madinah thrice. The first pledge came in the eleventh year of the Prophet's advent. Six persons embraced Islam, gave the pledge and returned to Madinah. When they arrived there, Islam and the Prophet of Islam became the talk of the town. Next year, it was during the Hajj season that twelve people assembled at the same place. Out of these, five had taken part in the first pledge while the other seven were new. All of them took the pledge. By that time, the number of Muslims in Madinah had increased to more than forty. They requested that someone should be sent to teach Qur'an to them. The Holy Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyidna Mus` ab ibn ` Umair ؓ . He taught Qur'an to Muslims present there as well as conveyed the message of Islam around, as a result of which major groups of people in Madinah entered the fold of Islam.

After that, in the thirteenth year of the Prophet's advent, seventy men and women assembled at the same place. This is the third Bai'atu al-'Aqabah - and the last. Generally, when reference is made to Bai'atu al-'Aqabah, it means this very Bai'ah (pledge of allegiance). This pledge made it binding on participants that they would uphold the basic beliefs (` aqa'id عقَایٔد ) and deeds (a` mal اَعمَال ) of Islam, and would particularly be ready to take part in Jihad against the disbelievers, and protect and support the Holy Prophet ﷺ when he migrates and reaches Madinah. In this connection, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Rawahah ؓ submitted, ` ya rasulallah, a compact is being made at this time. If there are any conditions regarding your Lord or regarding yourself, let these be mentioned there clearly.' He said, ` As for Allah Ta` ala, I lay down the condition that all of you shall worship Him - and worship none but Him. As for myself, the condition is that you shall protect me as you protect your own lives, wealth, property and children.' They asked, ` if we fulfill these two conditions, what shall we get in return?' He said, ` you will get Jannah جَنَّت .' All in delight, they said, ` we are pleased with this deal, so pleased that we shall never request on our own that it be cancelled nor shall we like it to be …

The last verse (112) which begins with the words: التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ " (They are) those who repent, those who worship...) describes the attributes of the same believers about whom it was said earlier that Allah has bought their lives and their wealth from the believers, against which Paradise shall be for them. Though, the verse was revealed as relating to a particular group of participants in the Bai'atu al-'Aqabah, but the sense of the verse covers all mujahidin in the way of Allah. As for the list of their attributes which opens with: التَّائِبُونَ (those who repent), they are not there as a condition, because the promise of Paradise has been made for Jihad in the way of Allah, in an absolute sense. The purpose behind the delineation of these attributes is to stress that those who deserve Paradise do have such attributes - as was specially the case with the noble Companions ؓ who were a party to Bai'atu al-'Aqabah.

The word: السَّائِحُونَ (as-sa'ihun: translated literally as ` those who journey' ), according to the majority of commentators, means those who fast صَّائِمِونَ (sa'imun). Actually, this word has been derived from: سِیَاحہ (siyahah: journey, pilgrimage). Before Islam, siyahah was taken to be an act of worship in the Christian religion that meant leaving home for the sake of worship. Islam declared it to be monasticism, and prohibited it. It was replaced with fasting as an act of worship. The reason is that siyahah taught disengagement from worldly life while fasting taught that one should abstain from worldly desires for a limited period of time living at home. It is on the same basis that Jihad too has been equated with siyahah in some reports. Ibn Majah, Hakim and Baihaqi have authentically reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: سِیَاحَۃُ اُمَّتِی اَلجِھَادُ فِی سَبِیلِ اللہِ (The siyahah of my ummah is Jihad in the way of Allah).

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that سَآیٔحِین (sa'ihin: those who journey) in the Qur'an means: صَّائِمِينَ (sa'imin: those who fast). Explaining سَآیٔحِین (as-sa'ihin: those who journey), ` Ikrimah said, ` they are students who leave their homes to seek religious knowledge.' (Mazhari)

At this place, seven attributes of believing mujahidin have been described as those who repent, those who worship, those who praise Allah, those who journey, those who bow in رُکُوع ruku`, those who prostrate in سَجدَہ sajdah, those who bid the Fair and forbid the Unfair. After having enumerated these seven attributes, the eighth attribute was put as: الْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّـهِ ` those who preserve the limits prescribed by Allah.' Actually, this expression is an embodiment of all attributes mentioned earlier. In other words, the details given in those seven attributes have been eloquently reduced to one small sentence which means that they are committed to the limits set by Allah, that is, they obey, adhere to and protect the injunctions of the Shari’ ah of Islam.

At the end of the verse (112), it was said: وَبَشِّرِ‌ الْمُؤْمِنِين (And give the good news to the believers). It means that the Prophet of Islam should convey to believers who have the attributes mentioned above the good news …

Commentary

The entire Surah At-Taubah consists of injunctions of absolution and withdrawal from kafirs (disbelievers) and mushriks (those who associate partners with Allah). The Surah opens with the words: بَرَ‌اءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ (Here is a withdrawal [ proclaimed ] by Allah) and that is why this Surah is also known as Surah al-Bara'ah. The injunctions appearing earlier relate to withdrawal and severance of relationships with kafirs and mushriks in this worldly life. The same injunction of withdrawal and severance of relationships appears in the present verses, but it relates to the life hereinafter. It makes it impermissible even to pray for the forgiveness of kafirs and mushriks after their death - as it appears in a previous verse (84) where the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been prohibited from offering funeral prayers for hypocrites.

The background of revelation

The event that was the cause or background of the revelation of this ayah has been reported in a narrative appearing in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim. According to this report, Abu Talib, the uncle of the Holy Prophet ﷺ had not, though, embraced Islam, yet he continued to support and protect the Holy Prophet ﷺ throughout his life. He did not listen to any member of his clan in this matter. The Holy Prophet ﷺ too was concerned about him. He wished that his uncle would somehow recite the Kalimah and embrace Islam. He would thus be able to intercede on his behalf and he could have his deliverance from the punishment of Jahannam. When Abu Talib was suffering from his last sickness and death became certain, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was worried. He wished if his uncle were to recite the Kalimah even now, things might work for him. He came close to him in that state of anxiety - but, Abu Jahl and ` Abdullah ibn Umayyah (disbelieving diehards) were already there. He said, ` my uncle, recite the Kalimah: لا إلہ إلا اللہ (La ilaha illallah). I shall try to seek forgiveness for you.' But, Abu Jahl interrupted, ` would you forsake the faith of ` Abd al-Muttalib (father of Abu Talib)?' The Holy Prophet ﷺ repeated what he had said several times. But, every time, Abu Jahl would say the same thing he had said before - until the last words spoken by Abu Talib were, ` I am on the faith of ` Abd al-Muttalib.' It was in this very condition that he died. Then, the Holy Prophet ﷺ swore that he would continue seeking forgiveness for him until he was prohibited from it. Thereupon, this verse of prohibition was revealed where the Holy Prophet ﷺ and all Muslims were prohibited from praying for the forgiveness of kafirs and mushriks - even if they were close relatives.

This put some Muslims into doubt. Was it not, they thought, that Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ too had prayed for his disbelieving father? To answer it, the second verse (114) was revealed: مَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ‌ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ. In gist, it means: As for the prayer made by Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ for his father, it was conditioned by circumstances. In the beginning, Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ did not know that he would keep on sticking to his disbelief right through the end and would die a disbeliever. In other words, his going to Hell was not certain. That was the time when he had made the promise that he would pray for his forgiveness: سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ‌ لَكَ رَ‌بِّي (I shall ask my Lord to forgive you - Maryam 19:47). Later, when it be-came clear to Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ that he was an enemy of Allah, that is, he had remained a disbeliever right through the end, he elected to become indifferent to him and stopped asking pardon for him.

With regard to the mention of Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ praying for the forgiveness of his father at different places in the Qur'an, it should all be taken in that sense, whereby it would mean that Allah may give him the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that he could be forgiven.

When the disbelievers inflicted a wound on the blessed face of the Holy Prophet ﷺ during the battle of Uhud, he was seen wiping blood from his face and praying: اللَّھُمَّ اغفِرلِقَومِی اِنَّھُم لَا یَعلَمُونَ ( O Allah, forgive my people. They do not know). The object of this prayer of forgiveness for the disbelievers is no other but that Allah may bless them with the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that they could become deserving of being forgiven.

Imam al-Qurtubi said, ` this proves that it is permissible to pray for the forgiveness of a living kafir with the intention that this disbelieving person may have the taufiq of 'Iman and become deserving of forgiveness.'

In the last sentence of the verse (114), it was said: إِنَّ ِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ حَلِيمٌ (Surely, Ibrahim is oft sighing [ before Allah ], forbearing). The word: اوَّاه awwah) is used for a host of meanings. Al-Qurtubi has reported fifteen meanings of this word but they are all close to each other without any real difference between them. Some of these are: one who sighs a lot, or one who supplicates profusely, or one who is full of mercy for the servants of Allah. This (last) meaning is reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ .

This put some Muslims into doubt. Was it not, they thought, that Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ too had prayed for his disbelieving father? To answer it, the second verse (114) was revealed: مَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ‌ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ. In gist, it means: As for the prayer made by Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ for his father, it was conditioned by circumstances. In the beginning, Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ did not know that he would keep on sticking to his disbelief right through the end and would die a disbeliever. In other words, his going to Hell was not certain. That was the time when he had made the promise that he would pray for his forgiveness: سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ‌ لَكَ رَ‌بِّي (I shall ask my Lord to forgive you - Maryam 19:47). Later, when it be-came clear to Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ that he was an enemy of Allah, that is, he had remained a disbeliever right through the end, he elected to become indifferent to him and stopped asking pardon for him.

With regard to the mention of Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ praying for the forgiveness of his father at different places in the Qur'an, it should all be taken in that sense, whereby it would mean that Allah may give him the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that he could be forgiven.

When the disbelievers inflicted a wound on the blessed face of the Holy Prophet ﷺ during the battle of Uhud, he was seen wiping blood from his face and praying: اللَّھُمَّ اغفِرلِقَومِی اِنَّھُم لَا یَعلَمُونَ ( O Allah, forgive my people. They do not know). The object of this prayer of forgiveness for the disbelievers is no other but that Allah may bless them with the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that they could become deserving of being forgiven.

Imam al-Qurtubi said, ` this proves that it is permissible to pray for the forgiveness of a living kafir with the intention that this disbelieving person may have the taufiq of 'Iman and become deserving of forgiveness.'

In the last sentence of the verse (114), it was said: إِنَّ ِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ حَلِيمٌ (Surely, Ibrahim is oft sighing [ before Allah ], forbearing). The word: اوَّاه awwah) is used for a host of meanings. Al-Qurtubi has reported fifteen meanings of this word but they are all close to each other without any real difference between them. Some of these are: one who sighs a lot, or one who supplicates profusely, or one who is full of mercy for the servants of Allah. This (last) meaning is reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ .

This put some Muslims into doubt. Was it not, they thought, that Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ too had prayed for his disbelieving father? To answer it, the second verse (114) was revealed: مَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ‌ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ. In gist, it means: As for the prayer made by Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ for his father, it was conditioned by circumstances. In the beginning, Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ did not know that he would keep on sticking to his disbelief right through the end and would die a disbeliever. In other words, his going to Hell was not certain. That was the time when he had made the promise that he would pray for his forgiveness: سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ‌ لَكَ رَ‌بِّي (I shall ask my Lord to forgive you - Maryam 19:47). Later, when it be-came clear to Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ that he was an enemy of Allah, that is, he had remained a disbeliever right through the end, he elected to become indifferent to him and stopped asking pardon for him.

With regard to the mention of Sayyidna Ibrahim ؓ praying for the forgiveness of his father at different places in the Qur'an, it should all be taken in that sense, whereby it would mean that Allah may give him the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that he could be forgiven.

When the disbelievers inflicted a wound on the blessed face of the Holy Prophet ﷺ during the battle of Uhud, he was seen wiping blood from his face and praying: اللَّھُمَّ اغفِرلِقَومِی اِنَّھُم لَا یَعلَمُونَ ( O Allah, forgive my people. They do not know). The object of this prayer of forgiveness for the disbelievers is no other but that Allah may bless them with the taufiq of 'Iman and Islam so that they could become deserving of being forgiven.

Imam al-Qurtubi said, ` this proves that it is permissible to pray for the forgiveness of a living kafir with the intention that this disbelieving person may have the taufiq of 'Iman and become deserving of forgiveness.'

In the last sentence of the verse (114), it was said: إِنَّ ِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ حَلِيمٌ (Surely, Ibrahim is oft sighing [ before Allah ], forbearing). The word: اوَّاه awwah) is used for a host of meanings. Al-Qurtubi has reported fifteen meanings of this word but they are all close to each other without any real difference between them. Some of these are: one who sighs a lot, or one who supplicates profusely, or one who is full of mercy for the servants of Allah. This (last) meaning is reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ .

Commentary

In the comments on verse 102: وَآخَرُ‌ونَ اعْتَرَ‌فُوا (And there are those who admitted...), it was said that following the general call of Jihad at Tabuk which required all Muslims to join in, the people of Madinah had split into five groups. Two of them were of those who elected to stay behind without any valid excuse, a detailed description of which has appeared in previous verses. Here, in the present verses, three kinds of sincere believers have been mentioned. First were those who responded to the call of Jihad instantly. They have been identified in the initial sentence: اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَ‌ةِ (who followed him in the hour of hardship) of verse 117. The second group was of those who hesitated during the early stage but recovered soon and got ready for Jihad with other participants. They have been described in the sentence: كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِ‌يقٍ مِّنْهُمْ (after the hearts of a group of them were about to turn crooked) of the same verse (117).

The third group was that of the believers who did not, though, participate in the Jihad because of their laziness at that time, yet, later on, they regretted and sought forgiveness - and ultimately, the Taubah made by them was accepted. However, their group was further divided in two types. Originally, they were ten in number. Seven out of these men demonstrated their genuine remorse and repentance instantly soon after the return of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The manner in which they did so was unusual. They tied themselves up with the pillars of the Prophet's Mosque with the resolve that they would stay tied as long as their Taubah was not accepted. The verse known as the 'Ayah of Taubah granting forgiveness for them was revealed immediately then. Details can be seen under comments on verse 102. The remaining three out of the ten were those who did not act in that manner. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions to boycott them whereby no one was to greet or talk to them. This thing was terrible. It really disturbed them. They have been mentioned in the second verse (118) through the words: وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا (And towards the three whose matter was deferred) where comes the acceptance of their Taubah soon after which the order to boycott them was withdrawn.

Before we move on to explain the first verse (117): لَّقَد تَّابَ اللَّـهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِ‌ينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ‌ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَ‌ةِ (Surely, Allah has relented towards the Prophet and the Emigrants and the Supporters who followed him in the hour of hardship) in some details, let us answer a question first.

Is it not that Taubah is done because of having committed an act of sin and disobedience? The Holy Prophet ؓ is protected from that (ma` sum). What, then, would be the sense of accepting his Taubah ('relenting towards the Prophet' )? In addition to that, there were the Sahabah from among the Muhajirin and Ansar who had opted for Jihad since the very beginning. They too had not done anything wrong. For what crime had they made their Taubah that was accepted?

The answer is that Allah Ta` a1a made all of them safe from sin. This was expressed as …

Verse 118 begins with the words: وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا (And [ He relented ] towards the three whose matter was deferred). Here, the word: خُلِّفُوا (khullifu) literally means ` those left behind.' It carries the sense of ` those the matter of whose repentance was deferred' - as opted for in the translation of the text. These three gentlemen: Sayyidna Ka'b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn Rabi' and Hilal ibn Umayyah ؓ were from the Ansar of Madinah and had a distinguished record in the service of Islam. Earlier, they had participated in the Bai'atu al-'Aqabah and in many battles with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . But, it was only by chance that they slipped in this manner. Then, there were those hypocrites who did not take part in this Jihad because of their hypocrisy, they gave them the kind of advises that dampened their courage. But, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ returned from this Jihad, all those hypocrites came to him, presented false excuses, took false oaths and tried to please the Holy Prophet ﷺ who entrusted the inward state of their hearts with Allah and simply accepted their outward declarations on oath. Thus, they went on living their normal lives. Some people gave the same suggestion to these Ansari gentlemen - that they should also establish their innocence by offering false excuses. But, their hearts admonished them. They knew that they had already committed a sin, that of remaining behind in Jihad. Now, how could they compound it with another sin, that of lying before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ? Therefore, they came up with a clean breast and confessed to their misconduct. In punishment, Muslims were asked not to greet or talk to them. In the end, the Holy Qur'an laid bare the reality of the whole thing. Those who had fortified their excuses with false oaths were exposed, the details of which appear in several earlier verses from: يَعْتَذِرُ‌ونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَ‌جَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ (They will make excuses to you - 94) عَلَيْهِمْ دَائِرَ‌ةُ السَّوْءِ (upon those is the evil cycle - 98). Regarding the truth told and confession made by these three gentlemen, it is enough to say that the fact of their Taubah was revealed in this verse. They faced fifty days of avoidance by the Holy Prophet ﷺ and a boycott of greeting and conversation by the Companions, a heart-rending experience indeed. Finally came the day when, amidst ecstatic scenes of having been so honorably acquitted and of exuberant congratulations for it, they regained the confidence of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and that of all Muslims.

Details of the event relating to these three Ansari elders from authentic Ahadith

In the two authentic collections of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and in most books of Hadith, there appears a lengthy Hadith narrated by Sayyidna Ka'b ibn Malik ؓ in connection with this event. Since, it consists of many elements of guidance, solutions of religious problems and facts worthy of consideration, therefore, it seemed appropriate that a full translation of this Hadith should be reproduced here. Sayyidna Ka'b ibn Malik ؓ alone of the three gentlemen, has described the details of this event as given below:

` Every battle in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ participated, I was …

Advice to Muslims: Observe Taqwa and be with those true in word and deed

This brings us to the last verse: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ ﴿119﴾ ( O those who believe, fear Allah, and be in the company of the truthful - 119). The event of having remained behind as related to some other-wise sincere people, and the ultimate acceptance of their repentance, was all a result of their Taqwa, the fear of Allah and the sense of being responsible before him. Therefore, in this verse, the large masses of Muslims have been instructed to observe Taqwa (as a constant feature of their personal lives). Then, by saying: كُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ (be in the company of the truthful), it was hinted that the only way to achieve Taqwa was to frequent the company of those who are good in their deeds and true in their words, and to approximate one's own conduct to theirs. Perhaps, this may also be pointing out to the slip made by these people that was caused by the company they kept with hypocrites and their suggestions and advises they listened to. One should stay away from the company of those who are disobedient to Allah, and take to the company of the truthful. The Qur'an has not said ` the learned' (` ulama' ) or ` the righteous' (sulaha' ) at this place. Rather, by electing to use the word: الصَّادِقِينَ (as-sadiqin: the truthful), it has also told us about the real identity of the 'learned' and the 'righteous'. Such a truthful person has to be the one whose exterior and the interior are the same and who is also true in intention, and true in word, and true in deed as well.