Indexed OCR Text

312
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 1 - 5
the God-fearing). This gives a clear hint to the advice that Muslims
should observe utmost precaution in fulfilling the pledge they have
given. They should never look for lame excuses and far-fetched inter-
pretations only to find a way to contravene treaty obligations, as done
by nations at large.
7. Details as they appear in the fifth verse carry the seventh rul-
ing. When war in defense of a correct objective breaks out against any
power, all available combat resources should be used fully and conclu-
sively. That is a time when showing mercy and appeasement would be
showing cowardice.
From the same fifth verse comes the eighth ruling, that is, trust in
a non-Muslim who has become a Muslim depends on three things. (A)
Taubah (repentance) over disbelief in the past, (B) the establishing of
Salah and (C) the paying of Zakah as due. Until these three conditions
have been implemented practically, the option of war will not be with-
drawn simply on the basis that someone has recited the Kalimah of Is-
وصلى الله عليه وسلم lam. When after the passing away of the Holy Prophet
some people refused to pay Zakah, Sayyidna Abu Bakr us UI _+, had de-
clared a Jihad against them. On that occasion, by referring to this very
verse in support of his action, he was able to convince and satisfy all
Companions.
8. The ninth question in these verses concerns the meaning of the
expression: s (yaumu 'l-hajju 'l-akbar: The day of the great
hajj). The sayings of early commentators differ in this matter. Sayyid-
na 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, Sayyidna 'Umar, Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn
'Umar, and Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Zubayr رضى الله عنهم أجمعين say that 'the
day of the greater hajj' means 'the day of 'Arafah' because the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said : الحج عرفة ('Arafah is the Hajj). (Abu Dawud,
Tirmidhi)
9. Some others have said that it signifies: y (yaumu 'n-nahr; the
day of sacrifice), that is, the tenth of Dhu al-hijjah. In order to accom-
modate all these sayings, Sufyan ath-Thawri and other authorities
have said that all five days of the Hajj are the substantiation of:
„YI (yaumu -'l-hajju 'l-akbar: the day of the greater hajj) which in-
cludes 'Arafah and Yaumu 'n-nahr both. As for the use of the word
yaum or day in the singular, it is in accordance with the usage else-
where - as the Holy Qur'an calls a few days of the battle of Badr by

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
the name of ;G,Aly yaumu 'l-Furqan in the singular form. Then, there
are the common wars of Arabia. They too are identified by the word
yaum or day - even though, they may have been spread over many
more days - such as, يوم البعاث :yaumu 'l-bu'ath, يوم الاحد :yaumu l'Uhud etc.
And since 'Umrah is called 'the smaller hajj, (l), therefore, it was
to make it distinct that Hajj was called 'the greater hajj' (al-hajju 'l-
akbar). This tells us that, in the terminology of the Qur'an, Hajj as it
takes place every year is nothing but 'the greater hajj' (al-hajju 'l-
akbar). As for the popular assumption that the year in which 'Arafah
falls on a Friday is specially 'the greater hajj,' it has no real basis ex-
cept that the year in which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم performed
his last Hajj (¿byl >> : hajjatu 'l-wada') just happened to be the year in
which 'Arafah fell on the day of Jumu'ah. No doubt, this is a matter of
distinction in its own place, but it has nothing to do with the sense of
this verse.
In his Ahkam al-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jasşaş has said: By
calling the days of Hajj as 'the greater hajj,' the problem that 'Umrah
cannot be performed during the days of Hajj has also been resolved
here - because, the Holy Qur'an has specified these days for 'the great-
er hajj.'
Verses 6 - 11
وَإِنْ أَحَدُّ ◌ِنَ الْمُشْرِ كِيْنَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَاَجِرُهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ
اللّهِ ثُمَ آَبْلِغُهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذُلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢﴾ كَيْفَ
يَكُوْنُ لِلُمُشْرِكِيْنَ عَهُدٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَعِنْدَ رَسُوْلِهَ إِلَّ الَّذِيْنَ
عُهَدْتُمْ عِنْدَ الْمُسْجِدِ الْحِرَامِ، فَمَا اسْتَقَامُوْا لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيْمُؤْا
لَهُمْ ﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْتَّقِّيْنَ ﴿٧﴾ كَيْفَ وَإِنْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ لَا
يَرْقُبُوا فِيْكُمْ إِلَّ وَّلَا ذِمَّةٌ ، يُرُضُنَكُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتَأْبُى
قُلُبُهُمْ، وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فُسِقُوْنَ ﴿٨﴾ اِشْتَرَوْا بِابْتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَّنَّا قَلِيْلًا
فَصَدُوْا عَنْ سَبِيْلِهِ ﴿ إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (١) لَ
يَرْقُّبُوْنَ فِىٌ مُؤْمِنٍ إِلَّ وَلَا ذِقَّةً ، وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَدُونَ ﴿١)

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَوةَ وَاتَوُا الزَّكُوةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِى
الدِّيْنِ، وَنُفَصِّلُ الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُوْنَ ﴿١١﴾
And if any one of the Mushriks seeks your protection,
give him protection until he listens to the Word of Al-
lah, then let him reach his place of safety. That is be-
cause they are a people who do not know. [6]
How can the Mushriks have a treaty with Allah and His
Messenger? Except those with whom you made a treaty
near Al-masjid-al-haram. Then, as long as they remain
straight with you, remain straight with them. Surely,
Allah loves the God-fearing. [7]
How (can they have a treaty) while if they overcome
you, they shall not observe any bond or treaty in your
case. They want to please you with (words from) their
mouths, but their hearts refuse. Most of them are sin-
ners. [8]
They have taken a paltry price for the verses of Allah,
so they have prevented (people) from His path. Indeed,
evil is what they have been doing. [9]
They do not observe, in the case of a believer, any bond
or treaty. And they are the transgressors. [10]
Then, if they repent and establish Salah and pay Zakah,
they are your brothers in faith. And We elaborate the
verses for people who understand. [11]
Commentary
It was said in the first five verses of Surah Al-Taubah that, soon af-
ter the Conquest of Makkah, general amnesty was granted to all poly-
theists and disbelievers of Makkah and its environs. But, in view of
their dismal record of treachery and breach of trust in the past, it was
decided that no treaty would be signed with them in the future. It was
despite this policy decision that injunctions to honor the treaty - made
with these people earlier and which they had never contravened -
were revealed whereby they were required to fulfill the terms of the
treaty until it expired. As for those with whom there was just no trea-
ty, or there was no treaty with a fixed duration, they too were granted
suitable concession. Rather than they be ordered to leave Makkah im-
mediately, they were allowed a respite of four months so that, during

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
this period of time, they could arrange to leave Makkah and go
wherever they deemed fit, with convenience and in peace. Or, if the
truth of Islam had become apparent to them in the meantime, they
were welcome to become Muslims. The outcome of these injunctions
was that the sacred site of Makkah was to be vacated by all treacher-
ous disbelievers. The evacuation was being implemented without any
intention to retaliate. In fact, it was enforced in self-defense because of
consistent experience. Therefore, the door to a good future for them
was left open even then. This has been mentioned in the sixth verse
the substance of which is: If someone from among the disbelievers
seeks asylum with you, then, you should grant it so that he could come
close to you and listen to the Word of Allah and understand the veraci-
ty of Islam. Then, your responsibility does not end at granting him a
temporary asylum. The truth of the matter is that, as soon as he has
done what he had come for, it is the responsibility of Muslims that
they should escort him under full protective arrangements to the place
where he considers himself safe and happy. At the end of the verse, it
was said that the particular injunction has been sent because these
people are not sufficiently aware. By coming close, they could know
things better.
Some rulings and points of guidance come out from this verse (11)
as well. These have been discussed in details by Imam Abu Bakr al-
Jaşșaș. In brief, they are:
Proving the Veracity of Islam is the Duty of Muslim Scholars
1. First of all, this verse confirms that, in case, a disbeliever asks
Muslims to explain the veracity of Islam to him with valid proofs,
then, it becomes their duty to accede to his demand.
2. Secondly, it is obligatory on Muslims that they should allow and
protect anyone who comes to them to learn more about Islam. Causing
any hurt or harm to such a person is not permissible. This injunction,
according to Tafsir al-Qurtubi, is operative only in a situation when the
purpose of the visitor is to listen to the Word of Allah and know more
about Islam. In case, the objective of the visitor is business, or some
other pursuit, it would depend on the discretion of relevant Muslim of-
ficials who would decide in terms of what is best in Muslim interests.
Should they deem it fit, they may permit and should they think other-
wise, they can act at their discretion.

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
Non-Resident Non-Muslims should not be permitted to stay in
Dar al-Islam any longer than necessary
3. The third ruling stipulates that a non-Muslim at war, with
whom Muslims have no treaty, should not be allowed to stay any long-
er than necessary - because, in the cited verse, a limit of stay and pro-
tection has been set by saying : ◌ِحَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلامَ اللَّه (until he listens to the
Word of Allah).
4. According to the fourth element of guidance embedded here, it is
the duty of a Muslim ruling authority to remain aware of the progress
of the mission undertaken by any non-Muslim at war once he has en-
tered into the Muslim country with valid permission (visa) and pur-
pose. And, as soon as he has completed his job in the country, it is also
the duty of Muslim Amir (ruler) that he should arrange for his safe re-
turn.
Stated in the next four verses (7-10) is the wisdom behind the proc-
lamation of withdrawal mentioned in the initial verses of Surah Al-
Taubah. Here, by referring to the inherent meanness of pledge-
breaking disbelievers whose malice and hostility against Muslims
knew no bounds, it was advised in verses 7 and 8 that entertaining any
hope from such people that they would ever abide by their pledge was
simply wrong to begin with. It was said in the text: Except for some
people with whom Muslims had entered into a treaty near the masjid
al-haram, how could any pledge given by these disbelievers be credible
before Allah and His Messenger? The fact was that they were a set of
people who, if given the least opportunity, would not blink about any
relationship they had with them or bother to honor the word of prom-
ise given by them. The simple reason was that these people had no in-
tention of honoring the treaty even when they were signing it. Their
sole purpose was just to placate them. With their hearts set elsewhere,
most of them were sinners, compulsive breakers of pledges and practi-
tioners of treachery.
Uphold truth and commit no excess or injustice even against
disbelievers is the teaching of Qur'an
This statement of the Qur'an provides guidance for Muslims that
they should never surrender truth and justice even when they are
dealing with confronting enemies. Whenever they have to take up an

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
issue with them, they are required not to slip into taking exaggerated
approaches and stances against them. This is as it has been demon-
strated in these verses where full consideration has been given to the
case of the disbelievers of Makkah. The fact was that most of them had
broken their pledge. Naturally, when something like this happens in
that setting, people tend to make a sweeping allegation against every-
one. But, the Holy Qur'an, by saying : ◌ِإِلَّ الَّذِيْنَ عُهَدُتُّمُ عِنْدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَام (except
those with whom you made a treaty near al-masjid-al-haram), has ex-
empted those who had not broken their pledge. In fact, it has ordered
that Muslims should stay firm on their commitment as long as the oth-
ers remain committed and faithful to their pledge. The breach of trust
committed by other people should in no case influence their stance
whereby they themselves may be led to become breakers of the pledge
given to them.
Earlier when it was said that disbelieving people had nursed be-
trayal in their hearts right from the beginning and had no intention of
staying faithful to their pledge, an exception was also granted. Simi-
larly, when the text says: 33 33l (Most of them are sinners - 8), it
hints that all of them were not like that. There were some nice people
among them too, who wanted to stand by their commitment, but they
were not heard before others.
This is the same subject the Holy Qur'an takes up elsewhere say-
ing in very clear terms: لَا يَجْرِ مَنَّكُمُ شَنَانُ قَوُمٍ عَلَى الَّ تَعْدِلُوا (and malice against a
people should not bid you to not doing justice - 5:8)
After that comes the ninth verse with the reason why these Mush-
riks were so chronically treacherous and what was it that ailed them.
Thus, they too were given a prescription of hope to ponder about so
that they could still correct themselves if they chose to. At the same
time, Muslims at large were also served with a warning that they
should take their guard against the pitfall of treachery and disobedi-
ence which had sucked these people in and make a total abstention
from this behavior model their distinct life style. The reason is their
relentless love of the material. The desire to acquire, possess and ex-
pend the limitless range of things of this world had blinded them to
the limit that they would not hesitate to sell off the very Words of Al-
lah and their own faith in exchange for paltry gains. This character is,
to make an understatement, evil.

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 6 - 11
Moving on to the tenth verse, the text describes the extreme crook-
edness of these people by saying: ◌ٌلاَيَرْقُّبُونَ فِىْ مُؤْمِنٍ إِلاَّوَّلَا ذِمَّة (They do not ob-
serve, in the case of a believer, any bond or treaty). The sense is that
this was no isolated case of disbelieving people acting treacherously
against Muslims to whom they were bound by ties of kinship and trea-
ty obligations. In fact, disbelieving people were a lot who would never
consider kinship or pledge as valid grounds when dealing with
Muslims.
Given the aforesaid behavior pattern of disbelieving people, it could
have been but natural for Muslims to have become disillusioned with
them forever and refuse to have any brotherly relationship with them
under any condition. Therefore, as the Qur'anic justice and equity
would have it, the eleventh verse gives the following instruction: KG 34
Then, if they repent and establish sal ah) وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلوَةَ وَأَتَوُا الزَّكْوَةَ فَاخْوَأُنُّكُمْ فِى الدِّيْنِ
and pay zak ah, they are your brothers in faith).
Here we are being told that once an enemy - no matter how deadly
and no matter how hurtful he has been - becomes a Muslim, things
change dramatically. Allah Ta'ala forgives his past sins, all of them.
So, it becomes obligatory on Muslims too that they should forget the
past, start afresh, take them as their brothers in faith and do whatev-
er it takes to fulfill the rights enjoined under such relationship.
Three Conditions of Entry into the Islamic Brotherhood
This verse makes it clear that there are three conditions of entry
into the Islamic brotherhood: (1) Taubah or repentance from Kufr and
Shirk, (2) establishment of Salah and (3) payment of Zakah - because,
'Iman (faith) and Taubah (repentance) are concealed matters. Common
Muslims cannot find out their reality. Therefore, two of their outward
signs were mentioned, that is, Şalah and Zakah.
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as Ul , said: 'This verse has made
the blood of Muslims, who qualify as 'the people of Qiblah,' unlawful
(haram).' In other words, people who establish Salah, pay Zakah and
have said or done nothing against Islam as proved against them, shall
be taken as Muslims in the matter of all religious injunctions - even
though, they may not have true 'Iman (faith) in their hearts, or have
hypocrisy (nifaq).
This is the verse Sayyidna Abu Bakr at Ulu+, had quoted in sup-

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 12 - 16
port of his declaration of Jihad against those who had refused to pay
Zakah after the passing away of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The
noble Companions before whom he had made this assertion were satis-
fied with his approach. (Ibn Kathir)
At the end of verse 11, the text stresses upon the need to abide by
given injunctions, regarding those covered under a treaty and those
who have repented, by saying: ◌َوُنُفَصِّلُ الأَيْتِ لِقَوُمِ يَّعُلَّمُون (And We elaborate the
verses for people who understand).
Verses 12 - 16
وَإِنْ تَكَنُوا آَيْمَانَهُمْ مِنُ ، بَعْدِ عَهُدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا فِىُ دِئْنِكُمْ
فَقَاتِلُّاَ آَبَِّّةَ الْكُفْرِ " إِنَّهُمْ لَّ أَيْمَانَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنْتَهُوُنَ ﴿١٢)
أَلَا تُقَاتِلُونَ قَوْمًا تَّكَفُؤَّا أَيْمَانَهُمْ وَهَمُّوْا ◌ِخْرَاجِ الرَّسُوْلِ وَهُمْ
بَدَهُ وُكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَتَرَةٍ + اتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَُوهُ إِنْ
كُنْتُم ◌ُؤْمِنِيْنَ ﴿١٣﴾ قَاتِلُؤُهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيْكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ
وَيَنْصُرُكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ يَشْفِ صُدُوْرَ قَوْمٍ تُؤُّمِنِيْنَ ﴿١٤) وَيُذُهِبُ
غَبْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ، وَيَتُوُبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ يَّتَاءُ ، وَاللّهُ عَلِيُهُ
حَكِيمٌ ﴿١٥) أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تُتْرَكُوا وَلَّا يَعْلَمِ اللّهُ الَّذِيْنَ
جَهَدُوا مِنْكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُؤْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُوُلِهٍ وَلَا
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيُجَةَّ، وَاللَّهُ خَبِيْرٌ، بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٦)
And if they break their oaths after they have made a
covenant and speak evil of your Faith, then fight the
leaders of infidelity - in fact, they have no oaths - so
that they may stop. [12] Would you not fight a people
who broke their oaths and conspired to expel the Mes-
senger and it was they who started (fighting) against
you for the first time? Do you fear them? Then, Allah is
worthier that you fear Him, if you are believers. [13]
Fight them, so that Allah should punish them at your
hands and disgrace them, and help you win against
them and bring relief to bosoms of a believing people,
[14] and remove the rage of their hearts. And Allah re-
lents to whomsoever He wills. And Allah is (All-) Know-

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 12 - 16
ing, (All-) Wise. [15]
Do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has
not yet seen those of you who struggle in jihad and nev-
er take anyone, other than Allah and His Messenger
and the believers, as their confidant? And Allah is (All-)
Aware of what you do. [16]
Commentary
It will be recalled that a cease-fire agreement with the Quraysh of
Makkah was concluded at Hudaibiyah in the Hijrah year 6. That the
Quraysh will not stick to the agreement was foretold in verse 7 of Su-
rah Al-Taubah: ◌ٌكَيُفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْد (how can the Mushriks have a trea-
ty ... ). Then, came verses 8, 9 and 10 with the causes of their pledge
breaking. And in the 11th verse it was announced that, despite having
broken their solemn covenant, if these Mushriks become Muslims and
start expressing their faith in Islam through prayers and fasting, then,
Muslims are duty-bound to keep their present dealings with them free
of any effects from the past. In fact, they should take them to be their
brothers in faith and treat them as such. In verse 12 cited above, Mus-
lims have been told about the course of action they should take in the
event these people do break their pledge, as prophesied earlier.
وَإِنْ تَكَثَُّا أَيْمَانَهُمْ مِنُ ◌َبَعْدٍ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا فِىْ دِينِكُمْ : The actual words of the text read
i itis (And if they break their oaths after they have made a cove-
nant and speak evil of your Faith, then fight the leaders of infidelity -
12). It is worth noting that the present situation in the text demanded
the use of 'RGu (faqatiluhum: then fight them). The Holy Qur'an has
said : ◌ِفَقَاتِلُوا اسِيَّةَ الْكُفُر (then fight the leaders of infidelity) which bypasses
the use of a shorter pronoun at this place. The word: “ (a'immah:
leaders) is the plural of Imam. The sense is that these people by break-
ing their word of honor turned into leaders of infidelity and thus be-
came deserving of a war against them. This statement also carries the
wisdom and justification of the command to fight. Some commentators
say that 'leaders of infidelity' at this place refers to the chiefs of the
tribe of Quraysh in Makkah who kept on instigating people against
Muslims and remained busy making war preparations. Fighting
against them was particularly mentioned because these people were
the real source of power the Makkans were credited with. In addition
to that, since they were the ones with whom Muslims had bonds of
close kinship, there was the possible apprehension that some conces-

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 12 - 16
sion could be granted in their case.
Honest critical study of Islam by Protected Non-Muslim
Citizens of Dar al-Islam is possible - vilification is not
Some commentators have interpreted the words:ْطَعَنُوا فِي دِينِكُم (speak
evil of your faith) to mean that speaking evil of the Faith of Muslims is
included under contravention of pledge. A person who speaks evil of Is-
lam and the Shari'ah of Islam cannot continue to be a party to the
treaty with Muslims. But, according to a consensus of Muslim jurists,
it means vilification that is done to insult and belittle Islam and
Muslims, openly and publicly. Honest intellectual criticism while
conducting research into problems and rulings remains exempt from
its purview - then, it is not supposed to be vilification in its lexical
sense.
Therefore, for non-Muslim citizens of Dar al-Islam, any honest in-
tellectual criticism can be allowed, but what cannot be allowed is vilifi-
cation, contempt, insult or outrage against Islam.
In the same verse (12), it was said: a susis sel (in fact, they have no
oaths). The sense is that these are the kind of people none of whose
oaths are trustworthy - because, they are addicted to breaking their
oaths and committing breaches of trust. Then, the use of the plural
form of oaths here could also mean: 'when they broke their oath, they
also absolved Muslims of any responsibility for their oath and pledge.'
At the end of verse 12, it was said: 34 (so that they may stop).
This last sentence tells us that the objective of Jihad carried out by
Muslims should never be the conquest of countries like common kings
or to hurt the enemy and to take vengeance as belligerent people
around the world would love to do. Instead of doing anything like that,
when it comes to fighting that they must, the driving objective should
be compassion for the enemy, the empathy and the desire that they
would stop doing what was not right.
After that, to persuade Muslims to fight, they were told in verse 13
that there was no reason why they would not be ready to fight against
the kind of people who had conspired to expel the Messenger of Allah.
This refers to the Jews of Madinah who had hatched a plan to expel
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم from the city of Madinah. They had
said : ◌َّلَيُخْرِجَنَّ اُلاَعَرُّ مِنْهَا الأَذَل (the one having more honor and power will cer-

322
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 12 - 16
tainly expel the one being humble and weak from there - 63:8). In their
self-view, they were the people of honor and power while Muslims
were weak and lowly. The answer they needed was given by Allah Al-
mighty in His way. He took their proud statement as it was and made
it come true in a manner that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his
Companions, by turning the Jews out of Madinah, proved that honor
belonged to Muslims and disgrace to Jews.
Giving the second reason for fighting against them, it was said: ";
. Jf3;& (and it was they who started [fighting] against you for the
first time). The sense is that they were the aggressors. What Muslims
have to do now is simply to defend themselves, an action universally
sane and normal.
Then, to remove the awe of the enemy from the hearts of Muslims,
it was said: ◌ُاتَخْشَرُنَهُمْ فَاللهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخُشَرُه (Do you fear them? Then, Allah is
worthier that you fear Him) for there is no power that can cause His
punishment to disappear. Finally, by saying: 3.2 31 (if you are be-
lievers), it was made clear that fearing anyone or anything other than
Allah in a manner that obstructs the fulfillment of the injunctions of
the Shari'ah of Islam is not what a true believing-practicing Muslim
would do.
For Muslims, the same exhortation to fight in Jihad appears in
verses 14 and 15 as well, though from a different angle. They were told:
1. If you get ready to fight them, the help and support from Allah
will be with you. As for their enemies, they have already become de-
serving of Divine punishment because of their evil deeds but this pun-
ishment will not come down upon them from the heavens or up from
beneath the Earth. Instead of that, says the verse: Lactalis that is
'Allah shall punish them at their hands.'
2. As a result of this fighting, Allah Ta'ala will mollify the hearts of
Muslims after all those pains and sorrows continuously inflicted upon
them by the disbelievers.
3. Then, the anger which filled Muslim hearts because of their
treachery and pledge breaking was to be removed by Allah Ta'ala
when He punishes them at their hands.
In the previous verse (12), by saying: 3:4 35 (so that they may
stop), Muslims were told that they should not fight a people just to re-

323
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
lease their anger, rather make their correction and betterment the
main purpose of their action. When they cleanse their intention from
all irrelevant shades, and let it be for Allah alone, and fight for none
but Allah, then, Allah Ta'ala shall cause things to unfold in a manner
that automatically removes the feelings of anger and sorrow raging in
their hearts.
4. Finally, it was said : وَيَتُوُّبُ اللّهُ عَلى مَرْ يَشَاء (And Allah relents to whom-
soever He wills -15). This tells us that there will be an added gain as a
result of this Jihad. There will be many from among the enemies who
will have the taufiq of Islam. They will become Muslims. So, there were
many arrogant ones at the time of the Conquest of Makkah who were
put to disgrace while there were many others who embraced Islam.
History proves that the circumstances and events predicted in
these verses were witnessed one by one as pointed out by the Holy
Qur'an. Therefore, these verses contain many miracles.
Verses 17 - 18
مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِيْنَ أَنْ يَعْمُرُوا مَسْجِدَ اللَّهِ شَهِدِيْنَ عَلَى
أَنْفُسِهِمْ بِالْكُفْرِ، أُوَلْنَ حَبِطَتْ آَعْمَالُهُمْ وَفِى التَّارِ هُمْ
خُلِدُونَ ﴿١٧) إِنَّا يَعْثُ مَسْجِدَ اللهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ
الْآخِرِ وَآَقَامَ الصَّلوَةَ وَاتَى الَّكُوَةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّ اللهَ فَعَسَى
أُولَئِكَ أَنْ يَّكُوُنُوْا مِنَ الْمُتَدِينَ ﴿١٨)
It is not for the Mushriks to build up the mosques of Al-
lah while they are witnesses of their own infidelity.
Those are the ones whose deeds have gone waste. And
in the Fire they shall remain for ever. [17]
In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those
who believe in Allah and the Last Day and those who
establish salah and pay zakah and who fear none but Al-
lah. So, it is in all likelihood that they are to be among
those on the right path. [18]
Commentary
Mentioned in the previous verses was how crooked the Mushriks of
Makkah were, how they broke their pledges and what they did to de-

324
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
fend their false ways in religion. With this in view, Muslims were also
brought around to stand up against them. In the last previous verse
(16), Muslims have been told that Jihad is a test for them. This test is
necessary because it helps in marking out a sincere Muslim from
hypocrites and the weak-in-faith. Says the verse: 'Do you think that
you will be left alone while Allah has not seen those of you who strug-
gle in jihad and never take anyone, other than Allah and His Messen-
ger and the believers, as their confidant?'
The address in this verse is also to those common people who were
taken to be Muslims, though some of them were hypocrites while some
others were weak in faith and kept wavering. Such people would pass
on sensitive information about Muslims to their non-Muslim friends.
Therefore, two signs of a sincere Muslim were identified in this verse.
Two signs of sincere Muslims
(1) They fight disbelievers in the way of Allah.
(2) They take no non-Muslim as their close friend to whom secrets
are confided.
At the end of the verse, it was said: ◌َوَاللهُ خَبٌْ بِمَا تَعْمَلُون (And Allah is [All]
Aware of what you do) that is, before Him nobody can get away with
false excuses and alibis.
This wisdom of Jihad mentioned earlier has appeared in another
أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُؤْآَ أَنْ يَقُولُؤْآَ امَنَّا :verse of the Holy Qur'an in the following words
3221's ; (Do people think that they will be left to say, "We believe,"
and they will not be tried? - 29:2)
On taking non-Muslims as close friends and insiders
The word: J, (walijah) used in verse 16 means an insider who
shares secrets. There is another verse which uses the word: zu
(bițanah) to carry this very sense. Literally, 'bitanah' means what is
worn under normal clothing and is close to the body. It denotes a per-
son who knows secrets as an insider. The actual words of the verse
read: ◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِلُوا بِطَانَةٌ مِنْ دُوْنِكُمْ لَا يٌُّلُؤْنَكُمْ خَبَالًا (O those who believe, do not
take anyone as insider but from your own selves for they would spare
no effort to put you in trouble). (3:118)
Now we can turn to the present verses (17 and 18) where instruc-
tions have been given to cleanse al-masjid-al-haram and other masajid

325
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
(mosques) of false modes of worship and replacing them with what is
correct and acceptable.
A little background detail is in order at this point. When the Holy
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم got rid of all those idols the Mushriks used to
worship from the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque soon after the con-
quest of Makkah, it was a matter of relief, at least externally, for the
Sacred Mosque was now free from the physical vestiges of Shirk. But,
the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had granted his old enemies pardon and
protection soon after they were overpowered. They still used to do
their 'Ibadah and Tawaf in the Sacred Mosque following their false
ways.
That the Sacred Mosque was cleansed of idols was good, but it was
also necessary to purify this sacred site from the fallout of idolatry and
its false mores. The only way it could be done was to prohibit the entry
of the Mushriks into the Sacred Mosque. But, this would have gone
against the promise of protection given to them - and abiding by the
terms of a treaty was far more important in Islam. Therefore, such or-
ders were not given immediately. Instead, it was done in the year next
to the conquest of Makkah. At that time, the Holy Prophet le Jn
-make an an رضى الله عنه had Sayyidna Abu Bakr and Sayyidna 'All وسلم
nouncement in the great gathering of Mina and 'Arafat that, in the fu-
ture, no 'Ibadah, Hajj or Tawaf performed in the Mushrik way will be
allowed in the Sacred Mosque. Also prohibited through this announce-
ment was the evil custom of making Tawaf in the nude that had lin-
gered from the days of Jahiliyah. It was in the gathering at Mina that
Sayyidna 'All رضى الله عنه proclaimed:
لَا يَحُجَّنَّ بَعْدَ الْعَامِ مُشْرِكٌ وَلاَ يَطُوْفَنَّ بِالْبَيْتِ مُرْيَانٌ
After this year, no Mushrik will perform Hajj and no naked
person will make Tawaf of Baytullah.
And this respite of one year was given for the reason that there
were many people among them with whom Muslims had a treaty and
they had continued to abide by the terms of the treaty. That they
should be made to obey a new law before the expiry of the existing
treaty with them was contrary to Islamic policy of tolerance. There-
fore, a public announcement was made a year in advance to the effect
that it has been decided to cleanse the Sacred Mosque from all Mush-

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
rik customs and ways of worship - because, their kind of worship
would not let a mosque flourish, rather would go on to make it
desolate.
These Mushriks of Makkah equated their pagan customs with
'worship' and thought that they were contributing towards the mainte-
nance and functional thriving of the Sacred Mosque. They were proud
of being the custodians of the Baytullah and the Sacred Mosque.
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as All y», says, 'when his father, before
he became a Muslim, was taken prisoner at the battle of Badr, Mus-
lims reproached him for staying on the side of Kufr and Shirk. He told
them, 'you only remember what is bad about us. You do not like to talk
about our good things. Do you not know that we are the custodians of
the Sacred Mosque? We take care of the building. We keep it filled
with people. We manage it and we run a drinking water service for the
مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِيْنَ أَنْ يَعْدُوا مَسْجِدَ اللَّهِ: pilgrims. Revealed thereupon were the verses
(It is not for the Mushriks to build up the mosques of Allah). It means
that Mushriks (those who ascribe partners to Allah) do not have the
right to build and populate the mosques of Allah. The reason is that a
masjid is a place that has been built to worship One God while Shirk
and Kufr are its antithesis that cannot be combined with the structure
and function of a masjid.
The word: ile ('imarah: building) appearing in this verse is a multi-
faceted word and is used to convey several meanings. It could mean
the physical building of the masjid including all elements that go in
raising and finishing it externally and internally. Then, it could also
denote the maintenance of the masjid that would be inclusive of secur-
ity arrangements, sanitation, upkeep and provision of necessary sup-
plies. And then, it also includes the human dimension of the masjid -
that believers present themselves in the masjid for 'Ibadah. (Since
there is no exact equivalent in English to carry this sense, the nearest
one could come would be to populate, people, fill up, make the masjid
flourish in the number of those present and in the quality of acts of
'Ibadah they perform therein.) Incidentally, 'Umrah (a) is called by
that name in view of the fact that one visits Baytullah and makes the
best of his presence there in terms of 'Ibadah.
So, the sense of the Qur'anic word 'imarah' covers building, mainte-
nance and presence. The Mushriks of Makkah took credit for all three.

327
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
They took special pride in considering themselves the custodians of the
building of the Sacred Mosque. The present verses tell them that the
Mushriks did not have any right to build the mosques of Allah while
they were witnesses of their own infidelity. Because of their Kufr and
Shirk, their deeds had gone waste and they were to live in the Fire of
Jahannam eternally.
The expression: 'witnesses of their own infidelity' could have two
meanings. It could either mean that they were virtually confessing to
their Kufr and Shirk because of what they were doing as Mushriks.
Or, it could refer to their implied confession and witnessing of their
Kufr and Shirk when they identify themselves in social situations.
Customarily, when a Christian or Jew is asked as to his religious iden-
tity, he would say that he was a Christian or Jew. The same would be
the case with a fire-worshipper or idolater. They would identify them-
selves with what they believe in. Thus, the Mushriks will become wit-
nesses of their infidelity against themselves. (Ibn Kathir)
Verse 17 was describing the negative aspect as related to the Mush-
riks. It said that they did not deserve the honor of building and main-
taining mosques. Verse 18 takes up the positive aspect relating to
mosques by saying:
إِنَّا يَعْمُرُ مَسْجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ امَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ وَاتَّى الزَّكْوَةَ
وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّ اللَّهَ فَعَشَى أُوْلِكَ أَنْ يَّكُوُّنُوْاَ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِيْنَ
In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those who
believe in Allah and in the Last Day and those who establish
Salah and pay Zakah and who fear none but Allah. So, it is in
all likelihood that they are to be among those on the right
path.
It means the building of mosques in the real sense is a serene task.
It can be done only by those who are bound by the commandments of
Allah in their 'Aqidah (faith) and 'Amal (practice). They must believe
in Allah and in the 'Akhirah, establish Salah, pay Zakah and fear none
but Allah. At this place, only 'Iman (faith) in Allah and 'Akhirah (Last
Day) have been mentioned. Faith in the Rasul (Messenger) of Allah
was not mentioned expressly because there is no way one can have
faith in Allah Ta'ala except that one puts his or her faith in His Rasul
- and wholeheartedly accepts the commandments that come from Al-

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Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 17 - 18
lah Ta'ala through him. Therefore, 'faith in the Rasul' is naturally in-
cluded under 'faith in Allah.' This is why the Holy Prophet le Jde
du, once asked his noble Companions, 'Do you know what 'Īman in Al-
lah is?' The Companions said, 'Allah and His Rasul know best.' He
said, 'Iman in Allah is that one bears witness to the fact that there is
no one worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the Rasul
of Allah.' This Hadith clearly states that having faith in the Rasul is in-
cluded under having faith in Allah and is comprehensively united with
it. (Mazharī with reference to al-Bukhari and Muslim)
As for the statement: 'fear none but Allah,' it means that, in mat-
ters of religion, one should not abandon the command of Allah out of
some fear. Otherwise, fearing things that cause fear is quite natural.
Beasts, snakes, thieves and robbers generate physical fear but that is
not the kind of fear we are talking about here. When the magicians
showed snakes made of ropes and staffs to Sayyidna Musa, WILle he
had a sense of fear within himself as mentioned in the Qur'an: 2 1630
Ja's 5 - 20:67. Therefore, the normal fear caused by what causes
pain or brings loss is neither contrary to the injunction of the Qur'an
nor to the station of a prophet, waliyy or saint. However, one should
not become so overcome by this fear as to start creating confusion
about the injunctions of Allah Ta'ala or leaving them out altogether.
This is not the style of a true believer and this is precisely what is
meant at this place.
Some related issues
When it is said in the present verses that Mushriks and Kafirs can-
not take up the task of 'maintaining' a masjid which was something
only righteous Muslims could do, it refers to the trusteeship and ad-
ministrative responsibility of the masajid. The outcome is that it is not
permissible to appoint a Kafir the trustee and administrator of any Is-
lamic Waqf (endowment). As for the construction of the different units
of the structure such as walls and doors, it does not matter even if
some non-Muslim is assigned to do the job. (Tafsir Maraghi) Similarly,
when a non-Muslim makes a masjid as an act of thawab, or contributes
funds for its building, then, it is permissible to accept it. However, the
condition is that there should be no danger of a religious or worldly
loss, or blame, or usurpation of the property later, or harping on the
favor done. (Al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Shami and Maraghi)

329
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 19 - 23
It was hinted in verse 18 that building a masjid and making it throb
with multitudes of Muslims making prayers, remembering Allah and
reciting the Qur'an is a task that can only be accomplished by a right-
eous Muslim. It proves that anyone who keeps coming to the masjid ei-
ther to supervise arrangements for the security, maintenance, upkeep
and supplies for the masjid, or for the Dhikr of Allah, or to learn about
his religion, or to recite or teach the Holy Qur'an is a perfect believer.
These deeds are sufficient as witnesses to this honor.
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'when you notice that a per-
son is punctual with his presence in the masjid, bear witness to his
Iman - because, Allah Ta'ala has said: ◌ِإِنَّا يَعُدُرُ مَسْجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّه (In fact,
the masajid of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah ... -
18). Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have reported this Hadith on the
authority of Sayyidna Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri.
It appears in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet
said: 'a person who presents himself in the masjid morning and eve-
ning, Allah Ta'ala sets aside a rank of Paradise for him.'
And Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi narrates that the Holy Prophet
said: 'a person who comes into the masjid is a visiting guest of Allah
Ta'ala - and it is incumbent on the host that He honors the guest.'
(Mazharī with reference to Țabarani, Ibn Jarir, al-Baihaqi and others)
The commentator of the Qur'an, Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has
said, 'the expression 'maintenance of the masajid' also requires that
the masjid should be cleansed of things and practices for which it was
not made. It includes activities like buying and selling, worldly conver-
sation, search of lost property, asking people for material help, recita-
tion of idle poetry, disputation, fighting, disturbing peace by noises
and things like that. (Mazhari)
Verses 19 - 23
اَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَابَةَ الْحَاجِ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمُسَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ امَنَ بِاللهِ
وَالْيَوُمِ الْآخِرِ وَجْهَدَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ، لاَ يَسْتَوْنَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِء.
وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظُّلِمِيْنَ ﴿١٦﴾ الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا وَهَاجَرُوا
وَجْهَدُوا فِى سَبِيْلِ اللَّهِ بِاَمُوَ الِهِمْ وَانْفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمْ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ

330
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 19 - 23
اللَّهِ، وَأُوَلْبِكَ هُمُ الْفَآيِزُونَ ﴿٢٠) يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبَّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنُهُ
وَرِضْوَانِ وَكَنْتٍ لَّهُمْ فِيْهَا نَعِبُمْ تُقِيْمٌ ﴿٢١ٌ﴾ خُلِدِينَ فِيْهَا
أَبَدًّا﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَةً أَجُرٌ عَظِيْمَ ﴿٢٢﴾ ◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُؤْا لَا
تَتَّخِذُّاَ ابَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُوا الْكُفْرَ عَلَى
الِيْمَانِ، وَمَنْ يَّتَوَّلَّهُمْ قِّنْكُمُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْظَلِمُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
Have you taken the serving of water to the pilgrims
and the maintenance of Al-masjid-al-haram as equal to
(the acts) of one who believes in Allah and in the Last
Day, and takes up Jihad in the way of Allah? They are
not equal in the sight of Allah. And Allah does not lead
the wrongdoing people to the right path. [19]
Those who believed and emigrated and took up Jihad
in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives are
greater in rank in the sight of Allah, and they are the
successful ones. [20]
Their Lord gives them the happy news of Mercy from
Him, and Pleasure, and of Gardens having an
everlasting bliss for them, [21] where they shall dwell
forever. Surely, it is Allah with whom there is a great
reward. [22]
O those who believe, do not take your fathers and your
brothers as your friends, if they prefer infidelity to
Faith. And whoever from you has friendship with them,
then such people are the wrongdoers. [23]
Commentary
The first four verses (19 - 22) relate to a particular event. A cursory
look into its background shows that many Mushriks of Makkah felt
proud that they kept the Sacred Mosque bustling with visitors and
devotees and ran a drinking water service for the pilgrims. Keeping
their rival Muslims in view, they claimed that no deed by anyone could
match theirs. When Sayyidna 'Abbas as Algo, came to Muslims as a
prisoner from the battle of Badr, he had not embraced Islam by that
time. His Muslim relatives reproached him for remaining deprived of
the blessing of 'Iman. In response, he too had said the same things,
'you think 'Iman and Hijrah are big feathers in your cap, but we too

331
Surah Al-Taubah : 9 : 19 - 23
have our own assets. We are the custodians of the building of the Sa-
cred Mosque and serve water to the pilgrims. No deed by anyone can
match these.' Revealed thereupon were these verses. (Ibn Kathir on the au-
thority of 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah from Ibn 'Abbas)
And according to some narratives in the Musnad of 'Abd al-Razzaq,
it was after the entry of Sayyidna 'Abbas Le UI _>, into the fold of Islam
that Sayyidna Talhah ibn Shaybah, Sayyidna 'Abbas and Sayyidna 'Ali
ir Alo, were talking together. Talhah said: 'I enjoy an excellence
which none of you do. I have the keys to the Baytullah in my hands. If
I wish I could go inside it and spend the night there.' Sayyidna 'Abbas
said: 'I am the administrator of the water service for pilgrims and I
have rights to the Sacred Mosque.' Sayyidna 'All Le digo, said, 'I do
not understand that which makes you so proud. As for me, I have said
my prayers facing the Baytullah six months before anyone of you and I
have participated in Jihad with the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.'There-
upon, these verses were revealed. They made it clear that no deed
done without 'Iman, no matter how merit worthy, carries any value in
the sight of Allah, and no doer of such deeds, while still involved in
Shirk, is acceptable with Him.
And the Sahih of Muslim reports an event on the authority of Sayy-
idna Nu'man ibn Bashir e Algo, who says that he was sitting with
some Companions close to the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet de Jul L.
day in his Mosque on a Friday. Someone from those present there said,
'In my view, after Islam and 'Iman, there is no deed superior to serving
water to the pilgrims and I do not care about any deed other than this.'
Someone else retorted, 'no, Jihad in the way of Allah is the highest of
all deeds.' When an argument started between those two, Sayyidna
'Umar as Ul ya, reprimanded both of them and said, 'stop quarreling
near the Mimbar of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The proper thing to
do is to say your Jumu'ah prayer first, then you can go and ask the
Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself about it.' As suggested, they did go
to the Holy Prophet صلى اللّه عليه وسلم to find out his opinion on the matter.
Thereupon, these verses were revealed where Jihad has been identi-
fied as the deed superior to the 'building' of the Sacred Mosque and the
serving of water to pilgrims.
There is nothing far out about the possibility that the revelation of
the verses themselves may have been aimed as an answer to the pride