9. At-Tawba

(They have taken as lords beside Allah) i.e. they obeyed them in acts of disobedience (their rabbis) the men of knowledge among the Jews (and their monks) who reside in monasteries (and the Messiah son of Mary) and they have taken the Messiah son of Mary as lord, (when they were bidden) in all Scriptures (to worship) to confess the divine Oneness of (only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!) Allah exalts Himself above all that which they ascribe to Him.

(Fain would they put out) thwart (the light of Allah) the religion of Allah (with their mouths) through their lies; it is also said: by means of their mouths, (but Allah disdaineth (aught)) But Allah does not leave things (save that He shall perfect His light) save that He shall manifest His religion: Islam, (however much the disbelievers are averse) that this should be so.

(He it is Who hath sent His messenger) Muhammad (pbuh) (with the guidance) with the Qur'an and faith (and the Religion of Truth) the religion of Islam, and with it the confession that there is no deity except Allah, (that He may cause it to prevail over all religion) that He may Cause the religion of Islam to prevail over all religions which came before it until the Day of Judgement, (however much the idolaters may be averse) that this should be so.

(O you, who believe!) in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an, (Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis) the scholars of the Children of Israel (and the (Christian) monks) who reside in monasteries (devour the wealth of mankind wantonly) through bribery and unlawful earning (and debar (men) from the way of Allah) from Allah's Religion and obedience. (They who hoard up) amass (gold and silver and spend it not) the gold and silver (in the way of Allah) in obedience of Allah; it is also said that this means: who do not pay the poor-due from it, (unto them give tidings) O Muhammad (of a painful doom).

(On the day when it) the treasures they hoarded up (will (all) be heated in the Fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith) with their treasures ((and it will be said unto them): Here is) the punishment of (that which you hoarded) the wealth you amassed (for yourselves) in the life of this world. (Now taste of what ye used to hoard) amass.

(Lo! the number of the months with Allah) he says: the year is counted by months, i.e. the months of the year in which the poor-due is paid (is twelve months by Allah's ordinance) in the Guarded Tablet (in the day) from the day (that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them) four of these months (are sacred): Rajab, Dhu'l-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram: (that is the right religion) that is the right calculation: it neither increases or decreases. (So wrong not) harm not (yourselves) through transgression (in them) in those months; it is also said: in the sacred months. (And wage war on all the idolaters) in the sacred months and in other months (as they are waging war on all of you) all together. (And know) O believers (that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him)) with those who ward off disbelief, idolatry, indecencies, the breaking of treaties and fighting during the sacred months.

(Postponement (of a sacred month) is only an excess of disbelief) He says: postponement of the month of Muharram to the month of Safar is an excess of disbelief (whereby those who disbelieve are misled) they are wrong to postpone Muharram to Safar, (they allow it) i.e. Muharram (one year) and thus fight in it (and forbid it) i.e. Muharram ((another) year) and thus abstain from fighting during it. And so when they used to do this, Muharram would not be considered sacred while Safar became sacred instead, (that they may make up) that they may match (the number of the months which Allah hath hallowed) four in number, (so that they allow that which Allah hath forbidden) i.e. Muharram. (The evil of their deeds is made fair-seeming unto them. Allah guideth not) leads not to His religion (the disbelieving folk) those who do not deserve it. The one who used to postpone the sacred months was a man called Nu'aym Ibn Tha'labah.

(O ye who believe!) the address is to the Companions of Muhammad (pbuh) (What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth) with your Prophet (in the way of Allah) in obedience of Allah at the Battle of Tabuk, (ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness) you wish to remain bowed down to the ground. (Take ye pleasure in the life of the world) i.e. in that which is in the life of this world (rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter) and will not last.

(If ye go not forth) with your Prophet at the Battle of Tabuk (He will afflict you with a painful doom) in this world and in the Hereafter, (and will choose instead of you a folk other than you) who are better and more obedient than you. (Ye cannot harm Him all) i.e. by staying back you cannot harm Allah. (Allah is Able to do all things) whether it is punishment or reward.