9. At-Tawba

Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers (19)Those who believed and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah's cause with their wealth and their lives, are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful (20)Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him, and His being pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights (21)They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allah is a great reward (22)

Providing Pilgrims with Water and maintaining the Sacred Masjid are not equal to Faith and Jihad

In his Tafsir, Al-'Awfi reported that Ibn 'Abbas explained this Ayah: "The idolators said, 'Maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims are better than embracing the faith and performing Jihad.' They used to boast and show off among the people because they claimed, they were the people and maintainers of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Allah mentioned their arrogance and rejection (of the faith), saying to 'the people of Al-Haram', who were idolators,

قَدْ كَانَتْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ - مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَامِرًا تَهْجُرُونَ

(Indeed My Ayat used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels (denying them, and refusing to listen to them with hatred). In pride, talking evil about it (the Qur'an) by night.)[23:66-67].

They used to boast about being those who maintained the Sacred Sanctuary,

بِهِ سَامِرًا

(talking about it by night). They used to talk about this by night while shunning the Qur'an and the Prophet ﷺ. Allah declared that faith and Jihad with the Prophet ﷺ are better than the idolators' maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims. These actions – maintaining and serving Allah's House – will not benefit them with Allah because they associate others with Him. Allah the Exalted said,

لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.) those who claimed they are the maintainers of the House. Allah described them with injustice, on account of their Shirk, and thus, their maintaining the Masjid will not avail them."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-Muttalib, for when he was captured in the battle of Badr, he said, 'If you rushed before us to embrace Islam, perform Hijrah and Jihad, we were maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram, providing water for the pilgrims and setting the indebted free.' Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, said,

أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ

(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims), until,

وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(and Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers). Allah says, 'All these actions were performed while committing Shirk, and I do not accept the (good …

Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid Al-Haram as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the cause of Allah They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers (19)Those who believed and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah's cause with their wealth and their lives, are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful (20)Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him, and His being pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights (21)They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allah is a great reward (22)

Providing Pilgrims with Water and maintaining the Sacred Masjid are not equal to Faith and Jihad

In his Tafsir, Al-'Awfi reported that Ibn 'Abbas explained this Ayah: "The idolators said, 'Maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims are better than embracing the faith and performing Jihad.' They used to boast and show off among the people because they claimed, they were the people and maintainers of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Allah mentioned their arrogance and rejection (of the faith), saying to 'the people of Al-Haram', who were idolators,

قَدْ كَانَتْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ تَنكِصُونَ - مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَامِرًا تَهْجُرُونَ

(Indeed My Ayat used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels (denying them, and refusing to listen to them with hatred). In pride, talking evil about it (the Qur'an) by night.)[23:66-67].

They used to boast about being those who maintained the Sacred Sanctuary,

بِهِ سَامِرًا

(talking about it by night). They used to talk about this by night while shunning the Qur'an and the Prophet ﷺ. Allah declared that faith and Jihad with the Prophet ﷺ are better than the idolators' maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram and providing water for pilgrims. These actions – maintaining and serving Allah's House – will not benefit them with Allah because they associate others with Him. Allah the Exalted said,

لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.) those who claimed they are the maintainers of the House. Allah described them with injustice, on account of their Shirk, and thus, their maintaining the Masjid will not avail them."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn 'Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-Muttalib, for when he was captured in the battle of Badr, he said, 'If you rushed before us to embrace Islam, perform Hijrah and Jihad, we were maintaining Al-Masjid Al-Haram, providing water for the pilgrims and setting the indebted free.' Allah, the Exalted and Ever High, said,

أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ

(Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims), until,

وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(and Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers). Allah says, 'All these actions were performed while committing Shirk, and I do not accept the (good …

O you who believe! Take not as supporters your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to belief. And whoever of you befriends them, then he is one of the wrongdoers (23)Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are rebellious (24)

The Prohibition of taking the Idolators as Supporters, even with Relatives

Allah commands shunning the disbelievers, even if they are one's parents or children, and prohibits taking them as supporters if they choose disbelief instead of faith. Allah warns,

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ ۖ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ

(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written (predetermined) faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Ruh (proof, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow.)[58:22]

Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi recorded that 'Abdullah bin Shawdhab said, "The father of Abu 'Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah was repeatedly praising the idols to his son on the day of Badr, and Abu 'Ubaydah kept avoiding him. When Al-Jarrah persisted, his son Abu 'Ubaydah headed towards him and killed him. Allah revealed this Ayah in his case,

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.")[58:22]

Allah commanded His Messenger ﷺ to warn those who prefer their family, relatives or tribe to Allah, His Messenger and Jihad in His cause,

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا

(Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained), amassed and collected,

وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا

(the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight), and prefer and love because they are comfortable and good. If all these things,

أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا

(are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait...) for what will befall you of Allah's punishment and torment,

حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

(until Allah brings about His decision. And …

Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight (25)Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (tranquillity) on His Messenger, and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers (26)Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (27)

The Outcome of Victory by Way of the Unseen Aid

Ibn Jurayj reported from Mujahid that this was the first Ayah of Bara'ah in which Allah, the Exalted, reminds the believers how He favored and blessed them by giving them victory in many battles with His Messenger ﷺ. Allah mentioned that victory comes from Him, by His aid and decree, not because of their numbers or adequate supplies, whether the triumphs are few or many. On the day of Hunayn, the Muslims were proud because of their large number, which did not avail them in the least; they retreated and fled from battle. Only a few of them remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Allah then sent down His aid and support to His Messenger ﷺ and the believers who remained with him, so that they were aware that victory is from Allah alone and through His aid, even if the victorious were few. Many a small group overcame a larger opposition by Allah's leave, and Allah is ever with those who are patient. We will explain this subject in detail below, Allah willing.

The Battle of Hunayn

The battle of Hunayn occurred after the victory of Makkah, in the month of Shawwal of the eighth year of Hijrah. After the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah and things settled, most of its people embraced Islam and he set them free. News came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that the tribe of Hawazin were gathering their forces to fight him, under the command of Malik bin 'Awf An-Nadri, as well as, the entire tribe of Thaqif, the tribes of Banu Jusham, Banu Sa'd bin Bakr, a few people of Awza' from Banu Hilal and some people from Bani 'Amr bin 'Amir and 'Awf bin 'Amir. They brought their women, children, sheep and camels along, in addition to their armed forces and adequate supplies. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched to meet them with the army that he brought to conquer Makkah, ten thousand from the Muhajirin, the Ansar and various Arab tribes. Along with them came the Tulaqa' numbering two thousand men. The Messenger ﷺ took them along to meet the enemy. The two armies met in Humayn, a valley between Makkah and At-Ta'if.

The battle started in the early part of the morning, when the Huwazin forces, who were lying in ambush, descended on the valley when the Muslims entered. Muslims were suddenly struck by the ambush, the arrows descended on them and the swords struck them. The Huwazin commander ordered them to descend and attack the Muslims as one block, and when they did that, the Muslims retreated in haste, just as Allah described them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained firm in his position while riding his mule, Ash-Shahba'. He was leading his mule towards the …

Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight (25)Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (tranquillity) on His Messenger, and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers (26)Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (27)

The Outcome of Victory by Way of the Unseen Aid

Ibn Jurayj reported from Mujahid that this was the first Ayah of Bara'ah in which Allah, the Exalted, reminds the believers how He favored and blessed them by giving them victory in many battles with His Messenger ﷺ. Allah mentioned that victory comes from Him, by His aid and decree, not because of their numbers or adequate supplies, whether the triumphs are few or many. On the day of Hunayn, the Muslims were proud because of their large number, which did not avail them in the least; they retreated and fled from battle. Only a few of them remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Allah then sent down His aid and support to His Messenger ﷺ and the believers who remained with him, so that they were aware that victory is from Allah alone and through His aid, even if the victorious were few. Many a small group overcame a larger opposition by Allah's leave, and Allah is ever with those who are patient. We will explain this subject in detail below, Allah willing.

The Battle of Hunayn

The battle of Hunayn occurred after the victory of Makkah, in the month of Shawwal of the eighth year of Hijrah. After the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah and things settled, most of its people embraced Islam and he set them free. News came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that the tribe of Hawazin were gathering their forces to fight him, under the command of Malik bin 'Awf An-Nadri, as well as, the entire tribe of Thaqif, the tribes of Banu Jusham, Banu Sa'd bin Bakr, a few people of Awza' from Banu Hilal and some people from Bani 'Amr bin 'Amir and 'Awf bin 'Amir. They brought their women, children, sheep and camels along, in addition to their armed forces and adequate supplies. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched to meet them with the army that he brought to conquer Makkah, ten thousand from the Muhajirin, the Ansar and various Arab tribes. Along with them came the Tulaqa' numbering two thousand men. The Messenger ﷺ took them along to meet the enemy. The two armies met in Humayn, a valley between Makkah and At-Ta'if.

The battle started in the early part of the morning, when the Huwazin forces, who were lying in ambush, descended on the valley when the Muslims entered. Muslims were suddenly struck by the ambush, the arrows descended on them and the swords struck them. The Huwazin commander ordered them to descend and attack the Muslims as one block, and when they did that, the Muslims retreated in haste, just as Allah described them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained firm in his position while riding his mule, Ash-Shahba'. He was leading his mule towards the …

Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight (25)Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (tranquillity) on His Messenger, and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers (26)Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (27)

The Outcome of Victory by Way of the Unseen Aid

Ibn Jurayj reported from Mujahid that this was the first Ayah of Bara'ah in which Allah, the Exalted, reminds the believers how He favored and blessed them by giving them victory in many battles with His Messenger ﷺ. Allah mentioned that victory comes from Him, by His aid and decree, not because of their numbers or adequate supplies, whether the triumphs are few or many. On the day of Hunayn, the Muslims were proud because of their large number, which did not avail them in the least; they retreated and fled from battle. Only a few of them remained with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Allah then sent down His aid and support to His Messenger ﷺ and the believers who remained with him, so that they were aware that victory is from Allah alone and through His aid, even if the victorious were few. Many a small group overcame a larger opposition by Allah's leave, and Allah is ever with those who are patient. We will explain this subject in detail below, Allah willing.

The Battle of Hunayn

The battle of Hunayn occurred after the victory of Makkah, in the month of Shawwal of the eighth year of Hijrah. After the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah and things settled, most of its people embraced Islam and he set them free. News came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that the tribe of Hawazin were gathering their forces to fight him, under the command of Malik bin 'Awf An-Nadri, as well as, the entire tribe of Thaqif, the tribes of Banu Jusham, Banu Sa'd bin Bakr, a few people of Awza' from Banu Hilal and some people from Bani 'Amr bin 'Amir and 'Awf bin 'Amir. They brought their women, children, sheep and camels along, in addition to their armed forces and adequate supplies. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched to meet them with the army that he brought to conquer Makkah, ten thousand from the Muhajirin, the Ansar and various Arab tribes. Along with them came the Tulaqa' numbering two thousand men. The Messenger ﷺ took them along to meet the enemy. The two armies met in Humayn, a valley between Makkah and At-Ta'if.

The battle started in the early part of the morning, when the Huwazin forces, who were lying in ambush, descended on the valley when the Muslims entered. Muslims were suddenly struck by the ambush, the arrows descended on them and the swords struck them. The Huwazin commander ordered them to descend and attack the Muslims as one block, and when they did that, the Muslims retreated in haste, just as Allah described them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained firm in his position while riding his mule, Ash-Shahba'. He was leading his mule towards the …

O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (28)Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued (29)

Idolators are no longer allowed into Al-Masjid Al-Haram

Allah commands His believing servants, who are pure in religion and person, to expel the idolators who are filthy in the religious sense, from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. After the revelation of this Ayah, idolators were no longer allowed to go near the Masjid. This Ayah was revealed in the ninth year of Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent 'Ali in the company of Abu Bakr that year to publicize to the idolators that no Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after that year, nor a naked person allowed to perform Tawaf around the House. Allah completed this decree, made it a legislative ruling, as well as, a fact of reality. 'Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Jabir bin 'Abdullah commented on the Ayah,

إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا

(O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year)

"Unless it was a servant or one of the people of Dhimmah." Imam Abu 'Amr Al-Awza'i said, "Umar bin 'Abdul-'Aziz wrote (to his governors) to prevent Jews and Christians from entering the Masjids of Muslims, and he followed his order with Allah's statement,

إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ

(Verily, the Mushrikin are impure.) 'Ata' said, "All of the Sacred Area [the Haram] is considered a Masjid, for Allah said,

فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا

(So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.)"

This Ayah indicates that idolators are impure and that the believers are pure. In the Sahih is the following,

الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يَنْجُسُ

(The believer does not become impure.) Allah said,

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty.)

Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "The people said, 'Our markets will be closed, our commerce disrupted, and what we earned will vanish.' So Allah revealed this verse,

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty), from other resources,

إِن شَاءَ

(if He wills), until,

وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ

(...and feel themselves subdued.) This Ayah means, 'this will be your compensation for the closed markets that you feared would result.' Therefore, Allah compensated them for the losses they incurred because they severed ties with idolators, by the Jizyah they earned from the People of the Book." Similar statements were reported from Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah …

O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year; and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He wills, out of His bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (28)Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth among the People of the Scripture, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued (29)

Idolators are no longer allowed into Al-Masjid Al-Haram

Allah commands His believing servants, who are pure in religion and person, to expel the idolators who are filthy in the religious sense, from Al-Masjid Al-Haram. After the revelation of this Ayah, idolators were no longer allowed to go near the Masjid. This Ayah was revealed in the ninth year of Hijrah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent 'Ali in the company of Abu Bakr that year to publicize to the idolators that no Mushrik will be allowed to perform Hajj after that year, nor a naked person allowed to perform Tawaf around the House. Allah completed this decree, made it a legislative ruling, as well as, a fact of reality. 'Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Jabir bin 'Abdullah commented on the Ayah,

إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا

(O you who believe! Verily, the Mushrikin are impure. So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram after this year)

"Unless it was a servant or one of the people of Dhimmah." Imam Abu 'Amr Al-Awza'i said, "Umar bin 'Abdul-'Aziz wrote (to his governors) to prevent Jews and Christians from entering the Masjids of Muslims, and he followed his order with Allah's statement,

إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ

(Verily, the Mushrikin are impure.) 'Ata' said, "All of the Sacred Area [the Haram] is considered a Masjid, for Allah said,

فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا

(So let them not come near Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year.)"

This Ayah indicates that idolators are impure and that the believers are pure. In the Sahih is the following,

الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يَنْجُسُ

(The believer does not become impure.) Allah said,

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty.)

Muhammad bin Ishaq commented, "The people said, 'Our markets will be closed, our commerce disrupted, and what we earned will vanish.' So Allah revealed this verse,

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ

(and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you, out of His bounty), from other resources,

إِن شَاءَ

(if He wills), until,

وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ

(...and feel themselves subdued.) This Ayah means, 'this will be your compensation for the closed markets that you feared would result.' Therefore, Allah compensated them for the losses they incurred because they severed ties with idolators, by the Jizyah they earned from the People of the Book." Similar statements were reported from Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Sa'id bin Jubayr, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak and others. Allah …

And the Jews say: "Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of Allah," and the Christians say: "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. May Allah fight them, how they are deluded away from the truth (30)They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and (they also took as their Lord) the Messiah, son of Maryam, while they were commanded to worship none but One God, none has the right to be worshipped but He. Praise and hallowed be He above what they associate (with Him). (31)

Fighting the Jews and Christians is legislated because They are Idolators and Disbelievers

Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that 'Uzayr was the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the misguidance of Christians over 'Isa, it is obvious. This is why Allah declared both groups to be liars,

ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ

(That is their saying with their mouths), but they have no proof that supports their claim, other than lies and fabrications,

يُضَاهِئُونَ

(resembling), imitating,

قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَبْلُ

(the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime.)

They imitate the previous nations who fell into misguidance just as Jews and Christians did,

قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ

(may Allah fight them), Ibn 'Abbas said, "May Allah curse them."

أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

(how they are deluded away from the truth!) how they deviate from truth, when it is apparent, exchanging it for misguidance. Allah said next,

اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ

(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Maryam)[9:31].

Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from 'Adi bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, who became Christian during the time of Jahiliyyah. When the call of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached his area, 'Adi ran away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. 'Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai') and whose father, Hatim At-Ta'i, was known for his generosity, went to Al-Madinah. When the people announced his arrival, 'Adi went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wearing a silver cross around his neck. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this Ayah;

اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ

(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah).

Adi commented, "I said, 'They did not worship them.'" The Prophet ﷺ said,

بَلَى إِنَّهُمْ حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَلَالَ وَأَحَلُّوا لَهُمُ الْحَرَامَ فَاتَّبَعُوهُمْ فَذَلِكَ عِبَادَتُهُمْ إِيَّاهُم

(Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them …