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Tafsiri Guide to the Quran
Surah ANFAAL; Surah TAUBAH
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Surah ANFAAL
(Consists of 10 Ruku; H-2)
ANFAAL-The First Ruku
1. They ask you about the windfalls (ANFAAL). Say: The windfalls are for Allah and the Apostle. So be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Apostle if you are believers.
2. Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust.
3. Those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.
4. These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance.
5. Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse;
6. They disputed with you about the truth after it had become clear, (and they went forth) as if they were being driven to death while they saw (it).
7. And when Allah promised you one of the two parties that it shall be yours and you loved that the one not armed should he yours and Allah desired to manifest the truth of what was true by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers.
8. That He may manifest the truth as the truth and show the falsehood as the false, though the guilty disliked.
9. When you sought aid from your Lord, so He answered you: I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another.
10. And Allah only gave it as the good news and that your hearts might be at ease thereby; and victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
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This Surah commences by providing the ruling for ANFAAL (the spoils of war that the Muslims achieve by the war against the disbelievers); when the Muslims won the battle of BADR, there arose some disputes among the Muslim warriors about the distribution of spoils as this was the first real confrontation of the Muslims against the disbelievers while before this, the warrior used to take into his own custody whatever he received from the opponent he killed at the war; for this the first AAYAT descended that clarified upon the Muslims that they have no rights to ANFAAL (and the word GHANIMAT is also very near to this term while FAI is the term used for those spoils that the Muslims get without any war against the disbelievers) but Allah and His Messenger PBUH would decide for it; the practical ruling to apply for ANFAAL is given at AAYAT-41 of this Surah that we would study ahead insha-Allah; the AAYAT asks the Muslims in general for TAQWA to Allah and asks those Muslims that fell in disputes to better the attitude towards each other as it is AKHIRAT that they would have their attention to and not the worldly life; the three AAYAAT ahead tell the qualities of the true believers in Islam and they are addressed at the last of the Surah too; this settled the dispute well and all such Muslims who had some inclination towards the worldly gains in any manner revised their attitudes well; the notable thing here is that the whole of Surah ANFAAL is related to the battle of BADR that was the first disciplined confrontation between the Muslims and the disbelievers of Makkah that resulted due to couple of factors then; note that the Muslims at Madinah had made the trade of the disbelievers extremely difficult as this was the thing that had given them the strength to affect the tribes at Arabia adversely; one of their trade routes (to Syria) brought them much near to Madinah and that had become most unsafe and the other thing was that on the command of the Prophet PBUH, the Muslims were keeping watch over the disbelievers at Makkah; now, it happened that the Prophet PBUH had sent a few SAHABA (companions of the Prophet PBUH) to NAKHLA that was between Makkah and TA’IF where they had a confrontation with a few of disbelievers whom they challenged and the fight that occurred, resulted in the death of one of the disbelievers; SAHABA returned with the spoils and one of the disbelievers as prisoner; the Prophet PBUH did not appreciate this at that time as they were asked to keep away from any confrontation against the disbelievers yet it had been done; another thing that was even more notable as the reason for the disbelievers at Makkah to challenge the Muslims at BADR was that ABU-SUFYAN (one of the prominent figures at Makkah) was leading the trade caravan to Makkah returning from Syria with most high profits of transactions that they all have made there in which all the rich persons at Makkah had their share; the Prophet PBUH decided to intercept this returning caravan en-route but as ABU-SUFYAN got the information of this advance of Muslims, he changed route and passed by the area without any confrontation; however, he managed to send the message with some person that had one of the fastest of camels to Makkah where he gave the news of the advancement of the Muslims towards the caravan in the most adverse manner to the disbelievers there; the informant from NAKHLA also came there near to his arrival and there was a commotion at Makkah; they immediately gathered 1000 persons with necessary weapons that were able to fight with 100 horses (and hundreds of camels) and under the command of ABU-JAHL marched towards Madinah; at the place called SAFRA, the Prophet PBUH learnt that the force of disbelievers is advancing towards Madinah; Allah informed him that among these two (the caravan and the attacking force of Makkah), Allah would provide him and his companions victory over the one they would confront; the Prophet PBUH consulted the SAHABA and though some of them were reluctant to fight the force of Makkah (as they were not prepared for any battle when they left Madinah but had in mind that they had to challenge the caravan returning from Syria), the Prophet PBUH finally decided to face the force of Makkah head-on; at this consultation, there were among SAHABA such persons who told the Prophet PBUH that they would not leave him as Bani-Israel had told Moses-AS that Moses and his Lord go to fight and they would sit on at their place (see AAYAT-24 of MA’EDAH) while even the ANSAAR (the basic residents of Madinah) assured their total assistance too; it was the 17th day of Ramadan of 2nd year of Hijrah when the Muslims faced the disbelievers at BADR (about 140 Km Southwest from Madinah); the Muslims were most inadequately prepared by weapons at BADR to fight the disbelievers with only 313 persons with them against the 1000 men that had come with all preparation to fight them; but Allah turned all things in favor of the Muslims and they finally came out victorious of this confrontation with 70 of the disbelievers dead (including many of their chiefs particularly ABU-JAHL) and the same number of them falling in the custody of Muslims; the day of BADR was named as YAUMUL-FURQAN (the day that distinguished the Truth from all wrongs); from AAYAT-5 to AAYAT-19 (i.e. the last AAYAT of the second Ruku), the Quran narrates the scene prior to and at the battle of BADR; at the first Ruku, the six AAYAT ahead (from the fifth to the tenth) tell that Allah had decided to provide space to Muslims to spread the teachings of Islam and to live upon them well with such challenge only that does not become extreme hindrance to this task to stop it; the term used at AAYAT-5 is BIL-HAQQ (i.e. “with the Truth” and here it means the Fundamental Islamic teachings) so even when Allah led the Prophet PBUH out of his home at Madinah towards the disbelievers, He had decided for the Muslims to fight the disbelievers at BADR (as AAYAT-6 tells and AAYAT-7 also tells this by using the same term) and the AAYAT-8 tells by using the same term that He had decided for the Truth to reign upon the wrongs manifestly then; that is why He assisted the Muslims at BADR with angels and provided for such environment by the rain that Muslims were able to set their feet remaining steady at the ground they chose (while the ground that the opponents chose as their station became much wet); as such, the Muslims achieved the upper hand from the very beginning; keeping this all in view, we all would go on ahead with the finer study of Tafsir of Surah ANFAAL; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT from the fifth to the tenth provide that when some of the Muslims disputed with the Prophet PBUH about the Truth after it had become clear (that this would be so and though they went forth yet) as if they were being driven to death while they are seeing it; and when Allah promised the Muslims that one of the two parties (either the caravan or either the attacking force from Makkah) shall be theirs and the Muslims loved that the one not armed (i.e. the caravan) should be theirs but Allah intended to manifest the Truth as it is so that it becomes easy to grasp by His commands when they come in practice and to cut off the root of the disbelievers; note that this manifestation of the Truth practically came about in final terms when the AAYAT-3 of MA’EDAH declared to Muslims that - this day have I perfected your DEEN for you and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as DEEN al-Islam -; at BADR, the Prophet PBUH made intense DUA to Allah so He answered this DUA that He will assist the Muslims with a thousand of the angels following one another (against the force of a thousand persons of the disbelievers) and He gave it as good news (prior to the victory) and that the hearts of the Muslims might be at ease thereby (that they have already won the field); and the victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty (so He can check the power of the disbelievers no matter how invincible they take their-selves) and He is Most Wise (which means that He is shaping all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and it takes many years sometimes for us to see how things have turned much favorable for Islam practically); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Second Ruku
11. When He caused calm to fall on you as a security from Him and sent down upon you water from the cloud that He might thereby purify you, and take away from you the uncleanness of the Satan, and that He might fortify your hearts and steady (your) footsteps thereby.
12. When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.
13. This is because they acted adversely to Allah and His Apostle; and whoever acts adversely to Allah and His Apostle-- then surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
14. This-- taste it, and (know) that for the disbelievers is the chastisement of fire.
15. O you who believe - when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them.
16. And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day-- unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company-- then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be.
17. So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
18. This (happened), and that Allah weakens the struggle of the disbelievers.
19. If you demanded a judgment, the judgment has then indeed come to you; and if you desist, it will be better for you; and if you turn back (to fight), We (too) shall turn back, and your forces shall avail you nothing, though they may be many, and (know) that Allah is with the believers.
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The Ruku tells that Allah provided the Muslims with some drowsiness (slumber) that was to give some relief to them in this tense situation (and this drowsiness would take hold of them at UHUD too that would be fought the next year where it would be during the battle as we have studied at the sixteenth Ruku of AALE-IMRAN) and He sent rain upon them for the four things to them; note that He provided the Muslims all of these four things by the descent of angels that came with the blessed rain for the Muslims for their aid by the command of Allah; He provided them the spiritual purity from it, He took away the satanic stain from them, He strengthened their hearts and He steadied their feet that they do not turn away from the battle; Allah commanded the angels that He would assist them so they shall provide strength to the Muslims; very soon, Allah would put extreme fear (of the situation at the battle) inside the disbelievers so the angels would hit above their necks and hit them on each of their fingertips; this is their punishment at the world as they opposed Allah and His Messenger PBUH; and whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger PBUH, then Allah certainly is Most Strict in providing the punishment; this is their worldly punishment and those who remain on disbelief till their deaths, they would get the punishment of hell-fire at AKHIRAT; the Ruku tells explicitly that once the battle takes place then there is no way for any of true Muslims to run-away from the battlefield; the only leave is that he may change his posture even by some displacement without any compromise on the fight that is on; he may also leave his place just to join his mates at the battle to reinforce his position at the fight; except for these, if he runs-away from the battlefield, he would face the wrath of Allah (in the worldly life) and his destination would be the hell-fire (at AKHIRAT) and that certainly is the worst place to enter; the Ruku goes on to tell that it was the help of Allah that made the Muslims achieve this most amazing feat of the victory at BADR and Allah actually killed those whom the Muslims killed at the battlefield and He actually threw the handful of dust which it seems that the Prophet PBUH has thrown upon them; note that during the fight, the Prophet PBUH threw that handful of dust towards the disbelievers that penetrated into the eyes of many of them and due to it, they were unable to see for some moments where they were at the mercy of the Muslims; this all occurred so that Allah may provide the Muslims the space to examine them in the ease to work upon Islam due to this happening; Allah certainly is the Most Hearing and the Most Knowing; Al-Hamdu Lillah; this has happened and at the times ahead too, Allah would weaken the planning of the disbelievers (if the Muslims keep to Islamic teachings without care to the worldly assets except for the necessity); everyone has seen that the decisive outcome has taken place for Islam and if the challengers to Islam do not take the heed, Allah would do the same to them and they would face the same fate as they had faced today at the YAUMUL-FURQAN; they need to understand that the massive quantity of their warriors (and even the impressive quality of their deadly war-weapons) is ultimately useless against Islam as the help of Allah is totally with the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Third Ruku
20. O you who believe - obey Allah and His Apostle and do not turn back from Him while you hear.
21. And be not like those who said, We hear, and they did not obey.
22. Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.
23. And if Allah had known any good in them He would have made them hear, and if He makes them hear they would turn back while they withdraw.
24. O you who believe - answer (the call of) Allah and His Apostle when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.
25. And fear an affliction which may not smite those of you in particular who are unjust; and know that Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
26. And remember when you were few, deemed weak in the land, fearing lest people might carry you off by force, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His aid and gave you of the good things that you may give thanks.
27. O you who believe - be not unfaithful to Allah and the Apostle, nor be unfaithful to your trusts while you know.
28. And know that your property and your children are a temptation, and that Allah is He with Whom there is a mighty reward.
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This Ruku addresses the hypocrites that had reservation obeying the Prophet PBUH when he asked all the Muslims to face the enemy at BADR; note that the Quran does not address the polytheists directly but asks the Prophet PBUH to address them for necessary talks and as for the hypocrites, it addresses them as all Muslims that is “O you who have believed”; it is because at the worldly life, the oral acceptance of Islam is enough by ruling to consider the person as among the Muslims; note that the basis to the decision at AKHIRAT depends on the true Belief that relates to heart and only the true Muslims would be counted among the Muslims there; note that the Ruku addresses the Muslims (hypocrites included) three times as those persons who have believed and all three of these AAYAAT guide all Muslims to accept the commands that Allah has given to them and which His Messenger has elucidated well for them; the Ruku guides that the Muslims would obey Allah and His Messenger PBUH and would not turn away from the obedience when they have listened to the command most clearly; they must not present themselves as such persons who say that they have heard and then they disobey, clearly denoting that they have not heard it (as the rightful hearing asks for obedience); this statement asks them to reflect on the attitude they took up when the direction of the Prophet PBUH told them to leave for BADR; they need to understand that in the view of Allah, the worst of the beasts are those that are deaf and dumb and do not understand anything; note that the AAYAT has mentioned here that the hypocrites are among the animals if they do not obey the good commands of Allah and for their practice, the good commands of His Messenger PBUH, so they are deaf and dumb who are given to the worldly life that affects their understanding and they care little if any about other things; note here that the Man is created at the status above the animals and below the angels but he has such inclinations by his creation that respectively relate to both; he might fall by his wrongs below the animals by caring to his physical needs extensively or he might rise even above many of angels if he cares about his spiritual asking much keeping his attention towards Allah only as that attitude is TAQWA; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT says that if Allah had seen any goodness in the hypocrites, He would have let them hear (i.e. would have let them obey) but many of them are such persons that even if Allah makes them hear, they would ultimately turn away from the obedience and practically become rejecters to it; AAYAT-24 guides the Muslims that they must respond positively to the commands of Allah and to the clarification of them for their practice by His Messenger PBUH when he calls them to such thing that provides the safety of their spiritual life (this thing is the retaliation by the Muslims against the disbelievers by TABLIGH of Islam to them or if necessary, by JEHAD for Islam against them); the Muslims must be mindful that as they get the directions from the Messenger PBUH to practice the commands of Allah and they see the wisdom behind that practice, they must take it then and there because Allah takes away the TOFIQ for the righteous obedience to Islam when there is useless lapse of time after seeing the spiritual benefit that the practice of those commands provide; they must remember that all persons would be gathered at the ground of HASHR (the first Day of AKHIRAT) where they would receive their sheets that would reflect their belief and also their deeds; all the Muslims (including hypocrites) must fear the FITNAH (the trial that affects the true Belief most adversely) at their worldly lives that would not affect those only that are liable of leading the situation to it but even those too that have not retaliated at the appropriate time & place to the situation by TABLIGH or if necessary, by JEHAD; at such times, even SADAQAH counts most highly to all needy persons to save the self if Allah accepts it; and all the Muslims must remain aware that Allah certainly is Most Strict in providing the punishment even at AKHIRAT; AAYAT-26 reminds the Muslims that they were so very weak at their place (i.e. Makkah) when they accepted Islam and had fears that their opponents would treat them by most unjust manners but Allah provided for them to live in peace (at Madinah) and assisted them in the most beautiful manner and gave them their sustenance by the pure & permitted things to see if they do really show gratitude (i.e. the obedience to Allah and His Messenger PBUH); note that when Allah provides the Muslims by His will the worldly things (especially peace at some place by their just attitudes, easy provision of pure edibles and of high necessities and their own good authority to apply Islam in all walks of life) then He sees what attitude the Muslims show; they have to be grateful by heart to Allah and show it in their attitude as He is the true Provider of all things even at the worldly life; see also the note on the 15th Ruku of AARAAF; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-27 guides the Muslims not to betray Allah and His Messenger and also not to betray the trust among their own-selves; they know Islam that comprises of the commands of Allah (that the Quran presents clearly and that the authentic SUNNAH clarify for practice) and they are aware of the rights of each other too among them quite well; the Muslims must understand that their worldly assets and their offspring both relate to FITNAH as their love for both is capable to affect the true Belief most adversely so they must care highly to apply the Islamic commands in issues that relate to both of these as this is the asking of the gratitude they must show towards Allah; He certainly has the highest of good returns for them at AKHIRAT if they do keep to His commands at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Fourth Ruku
29. O you who believe -if you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you the distinction and do away with your wrongs and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of highest grace.
30. And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and Allah too had arranged a plan; and Allah is the best of planners.
31. And when Our AAYAAT are recited to them, they say: we have heard indeed; if we pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the ancients.
32. And when they said: O Allah - if this is the truth from You, then rain upon us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful punishment.
33. But Allah was not going to chastise them while you were amongst them nor is Allah going to chastise them while yet they ask for forgiveness.
34. And what (excuse) have they that Allah should not chastise them while they hinder (men) from the Sacred Mosque and they are not (fit to be) guardians of it; its guardians are only those who guard (against evil), but most of them do not know.
35. And their prayer before the House is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands; taste then the chastisement, for you disbelieved.
36. Surely those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (people) from the way of Allah; so they shall spend it, then it shall be to them an intense regret, then they shall be overcome; and those who disbelieve shall be driven together to hell.
37. That Allah might separate the impure from the good, and put the impure, some of it upon the other, and pile it up together, then cast it into hell; these it is that are the losers.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about the result that TAQWA brings to the Muslim person in the world and in AKHIRAT; note that TAQWA means the attitude of the heart that comes by the true Belief upon Allah with both fear and love towards Him when he has totally thrown away all the worldly base desires and that leads to the most righteous deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT reads, ”O you who believe -if you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you the distinction (FURQAN) and do away with your wrongs and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of highest grace-“; note that the distinction means to see the righteous solution of any problem by Islam when the critical observation of matters at hand is utmost difficult; so TAQWA provides an immediate blessing to the Muslim person that it provides the Muslim person to distinguish the righteous attitude by Islam and he goes on to become firm at the practice of the righteous teachings of Islam; AAYAT-30 reminds that there has passed such time recently when the disbelievers at Makkah were planning to confine you O Prophet PBUH to some specific place or to slay you or to drive you away but Allah was Well-Aware of their plans and He planned otherwise; most certainly, Allah is the best of planners; this AAYAT indicates the HIJRAH (the migration of the Prophet PBUH from Makkah to Madinah) that was one of the most historical events; the Prophet PBUH had migrated by the command of Allah to Madinah with his closest of companions ABU-BAKR-RA at that very time when the disbelievers were prepared fully to slay him and they even searched him at the way to Madinah but all their efforts were futile; this AAYAT elaborates upon the statement that due to care for TAQWA, Allah provides the way to salvation; He had always saved His Messengers when their nations did not accept them and they went on to take the most disrespectful attitude towards them as our study of AARAAF has shown clearly; the AAYAT ahead reminds that there were such persons at Makkah who had become so disrespectful to the Prophet PBUH that they mentioned that they have heard the Quran and they even are able to say such things as these are only the tales from the ancients; though they never were able to do so and their hearing of the Quran never led them to accept it, they tried to misguide the attention of the people to such gatherings where the singing women provided entertainment to them so that they do not incline towards the Quran (read also the Tafsir of AAYAT-6 of Surah LUQMAN); the four AAYAAT ahead state their wrongful speech and manners and the reason why Allah does not finish them off once and for all when they had shown that they would not take-up Islam; they challenged the teachings of the Prophet PBUH by asking for severe chastisement upon them at the world if those were the Truth as they had no inclination to believing them; Allah tells the reason in AAYAT-33 to all peoples for not accepting their asking and note that this is the clear ruling of Allah in this issue; Allah would not punish any nation in the worldly life while the Messenger resides in them and the other reason is that He would not punish them when they verbally ask for forgiveness; note that ISTIGHFAAR (that is the term implied here at the AAYAT and it has the positive connotation) means to repent verbally while TAUBAH relates to repent truly by heart leaving the wrong totally with the intention not to do the wrong again and the intention to provide the compensation to it by TOFIQ from Allah, the true Lord; note that TAUBAH has ISTIGHFAAR too inside its fold; note also that though the AAYAT addresses the disbelievers yet if we look at the world today, it seems that ISTIGHFAAR to Allah of the Muslims in general have provided some safety to them at this moment of time from such wrath of Allah that might have destroyed them totally otherwise, as many of them (even with the claim that they are Muslims) have attached their-selves totally to the worldly gains without care to AKHIRAT and as many of them lack much of the fervor towards Islam; but the fact of the matter is this that the righteous repentance needs that Muslims make TAUBAH towards Allah at this moment of time for safety not only at the worldly life but also at AKHIRAT, and not just ISTIGHFAAR though even that counts much in making the Muslim person better as it might lead him to his TAUBAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that ultimately the limit would manifest with this attitude where the Muslim person would need to surrender his will totally to the commands of Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT ahead say that what the disbelievers have presented as their deeds, that certainly do ask for trouble to them; they have shown disrespect to the places where the true Muslims do recite the name of Allah by heart and they have shown disrespect even to SALAH by their mocking attitude; they would get their punishment at the due time (and that happened at the battlefield while the Muslims even conquered Makkah at the eighth year of Hijrah); though the disbelievers spend their amounts to stop the persons around from the right path of Allah yet that would only prove sorrow to them (and they would regret to see it wasted) as they would soon be overcome; and those that keep to disbelief in them, they would be gathered at the hell-fire; the tussle that goes on between the Muslims and the disbelievers at all times is the manner by which Allah separates the impurities that try to make way into the pure teachings of Islam; it is because everything goes to its place and so that He does pile the impurities together and fasten them and throw them all at the hell-fire; such persons who have attached their-selves to impurities would be extreme losers at the Day of HASHR; Allah certainly is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Fifth Ruku
38. Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven to them; and if they return, then what happened to the ancients has already passed.
39. And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do.
40. And if they turn back, then know that Allah is your Patron; most excellent is the Patron and most excellent the Helper.
41. And know that whatever thing you gain, the fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant, on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; and Allah has power over all things.
42. When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farthest side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you; and if you had mutually made an appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but-- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof; and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing;
43. When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.
44. And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes and He made you to appear little in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about the matter which was to be done, and to Allah are all affairs returned.
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The first AAYAT tells the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers that if they accept Islam, their sins would be forgiven; but if they go on with their disbelief, they would ultimately meet the same fate as those disbelievers that have passed (that was the most severe chastisement at the world by different disasters that fell upon them); this was the answer to their call to Allah to bring the painful punishment upon them if by rejecting Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, they are rejecting the Truth (see AAYAT-32 of this Surah); the AAYAT ahead asks the Muslims to fight them on until the FITNAH is over; note that the Quran uses the term FITNAH in the meaning of extreme wrongs that denote extreme deviation from the true Belief that Islam asks for the Man; whereas FASAD denotes all such extreme wrongs that relate to such deeds that cause deviation from Islam so FITNAH attacks the true Belief (and it enfolds FASAD inside it) and so the situation of some place, where to live with the Islamic belief becomes extremely difficult, is the situation of FITNAH; where the Muslims do have the space to live upon Islam and to work for Islam as the disbelievers might listen to the Muslims there, then it is not feasible for the Muslims to challenge them unless they provide the Islamic teachings in total to the disbelievers and the disbelievers reject it completely; if they respond positively coming to Islam and work for its spread in their own way, the Muslims lose the option to challenge them but if they do not respond positively then ultimately (in good time) in today’s scenario, it is better for the Muslims to keep totally away from them and ask Allah, the true Lord, for mercy upon the weakness of the Muslims; they must not live-on with the disbelievers once it is clear that even after understanding Islam, they would not come to it; may Allah give the Muslims the wisdom to understand the Islamic attitudes and to learn how to apply that in the collective manner in today’s scenario; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-41 gives the ruling of ANFAAL that the fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of his kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer; the other four parts would be distributed among the Muslim warriors; the Muslims would accept this ruling as they truly believe in Allah and on the command provided to them (at YAUMUL-FURQAN i.e. BADR) when both the sides (the Muslims and the disbelievers) had faced each other at the battlefield; that command relates to the first AAYAT of ANFAAL where Allah told the Muslims that ANFAAL are for Allah and the Apostle so this AAYAT clarifies that the fifth part would be for Allah and for the Prophet PBUH and others mentioned here (so it would be deposited at the treasury for its proper use) while the Muslim warriors would get the other four parts; Allah certainly has the true power of all things (and He showed it at BADR when he sent the angels for the aid of the Muslims so it was this direct help that led the Muslims to victory and they must show gratitude to it rather than consider their power the reason for their victory); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT depicts the scene of BADR when the Muslims took their station at the place near to Madinah and the disbelievers at the far-end from it while the caravan was proceeding towards Makkah by the alternate path near to the river; if the Muslims had intended to set the timing to the battle with the disbelievers, both the sides would not have made it practically but Allah had decided that Muslims do challenge the disbelievers at BADR where both the sides reached near to the same time (it was the middle of Ramadan at the second year of Hijrah that corresponds to the middle of March 624 AD); He had decided that the Muslims achieve decisive victory over the disbelievers; this happened because Allah intended that Islam gains the grounds manifestly where the Muslims would spread its teachings without much hindrance so that if someone destroys himself by living in some other manner than by Islam, he would know well that he has taken the life of destruction to himself; and who lives by taking-up Islam by heart would know well that he has taken the life that would lead to peace and at AKHIRAT, it would bring the pleasure of Allah for him in which he would reside forever; Allah certainly is Hearing (to the seeker of the right path) and Knowing (how to provide its clarity to him); Al-Hamdu Lillah; although by the standard of today, it would seem that BADR was just another petty armed conflict at inside of Arabia like others that showed up at that time yet it was never so because it was the clash of the Truth and the utter disbelief; due to it and from there, Allah made possible the teachings of Islam to come into practice at Madinah (that turned into the base for its practice) that gradually led all of Arabia to come to Islam near to the end of the Prophet’s life; after his death, the Muslims went on to spread its teachings all over the known world then so its message reached even the remote places at Africa and even the far-off places in the land of Asia and that specifically is the reason that it was named as YAUMUL-FURQAN; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Allah showed the quantity of the disbelievers less in your dream O Prophet (PBUH) so that you remain aware that their quality to fight the Muslims is much lesser and the Muslims have the upper hand; note that the lesser quantity at dreams of something relates to the lesser quality of that thing; if He had showed them to you much in quantity at your dream (against the usual trend of dreams as in dreams, the quantity relates to the quality) that would have weakened the intention of the Muslims to fight the disbelievers and they might have fallen into disputes with each other whether to challenge the disbelievers at this time or not to; but Allah saved you (and all Muslims) from the trouble to consider the enemy as having any worth at the battlefield and showed you the true dream that they are unable to fight the Muslims; the truthful persons do get the true dreams so you got the message right that the disbelievers with all their quantity and the high armor to fight the Muslims are much lesser against the true Muslims in their quality to fight; Allah certainly knows whatever is at the inside; the last AAYAT emphasizes the point that Allah showed them lesser to you Muslims (in quality to fight) and He showed you Muslims lesser to them (in quantity to fight) as He intended this fight to take place so that the matter He intends is done (i.e. Islam gains the grounds); and all matters are ultimately decided by Him as without His authorization, nothing takes place; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Sixth Ruku
45. O you who believe - when you meet a party, then be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.
46. And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient.
47. And be not like those who came forth from their homes in great exultation and to be seen of men, and (who) turn away from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do.
48. And when the Satan made their works fair seeming to them, and said: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector: but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, surely I see what you do not see, surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
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There are few things that are most essential at all times for the Muslims but they have to enhance these when they face the enemy at the battlefield; the first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about two of them while the second AAYAT tells the others; when the Muslims face the enemy at the battlefield, they must remain steadfast against the enemy putting all efforts against them without any thought of running away from the battlefield and they must remember Allah much (and make as much DUA to Him as possible); and they must obey Allah and His Messenger as the unity of command matters especially at this crucial occasion; quarrels among each other at this time would lead to the extreme trouble as then the power that they had by unity would change to weakness and they would become unable to fight their best; they need to be most patient at this time as care to any attachment to the worldly things would lead them to certain disaster; note that SABR for the Muslims denotes in the Quran to attach the self to something praiseworthy by Islam (even though that needs to put some strain to the self) against the option to take something that is blameworthy; that is why it enfolds the meaning of patience keeping to Islam at some incident that causes agony and also enfolds the meaning of living upon necessities at the worldly life with the avoidance of all major sins; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah certainly assists such persons having SABR at all difficult situations; the Muslims should not become like the disbelievers of Makkah who departed from their homes with such jubilant manner as they have won the field and showing-off their-selves and stopping all persons from the way of Allah; but Allah does have all their doings in control so He would finish-off their adverse effect and would bring out the Muslims as victorious; comparing the attitude of the Muslims and of the disbelievers, we do get the meaning of SABR again; the conceit of the disbelievers and their total trust on the physical things is their difference to the Muslims who trust Allah at all times and at all places remaining humble to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; in the challenge to Muslims, the Satan suggests such notions to the disbelievers that with such weaponry that they have provided for them and with their control on issues facing them, they are invincible; and Satan makes them believe that he is with them and with his support, they are sure to win the field; as he is among the JINN (the creation that is mainly created by fire), he sees the angels if they descend from the heavens and here, as he saw a thousand of them descending, he ran away from the field as fast as he could manage crying that he has nothing to do with the disbelievers; he understands that with angels at the side of Muslims, there is no chance for the disbelievers to win the battlefield; he even cries out that he does fear Allah and he is able to see that Allah would provide extreme punishment to the disbeliever today; note that though Satan has been cursed in such manner that he would certainly be put at the hell-fire yet he knows for certain that all power belongs to Allah and he gives company to disbelievers only where his own safety at the world does not come in danger; the disbelievers care but little about the spiritual challenge that would destroy all their physical elements they trust and so ultimately it is the decision of Allah that rules whether they get further space for their change to better or whether they become another of those nations that rose much for the time and then ultimately lost all their impression; He is the true Lord and even now, His will is done upon the earth as in the heavens; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Seventh Ruku
49. When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said: Their religion has deceived them; and whoever trusts in Allah then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
50. And had you seen when the angels will cause to die those who disbelieve, smiting their faces and their backs, and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning.
51. This is for what your own hands have sent on before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the slaves;
52. In the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them; they disbelieved in Allah's AAYAAT, therefore Allah destroyed them on account of their faults; surely Allah is strong, severe in requiting (evil).
53. This is because Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing;
54. In the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them; they rejected the AAYAAT of their Lord, therefore We destroyed them on account of their faults and We drowned Pharaoh's people, and they were all unjust.
55. Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve then they would not believe.
56. Those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time and they do not guard (against punishment).
57. Therefore if you overtake them in fighting, then scatter by (making an example of) them those who are in their rear, that they may be mindful.
58. And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, then throw back to them on terms of equality; surely Allah does not love the treacherous.
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At the occasion of BADR, the hypocrites and the Muslims that were weak in their belief said about the true Muslims that their adherence upon Islam have deceived them that they are prepared even to fight the disbelievers of Makkah who are much strong in the battlefield than they are; but whoever has complete trust upon Allah then Allah is truly Mighty (so He would provide such strength to the Muslims that they would defeat the force of Makkah) and Most Wise (so He would see that now the world gets the message of Islam loud and clear providing the Muslims the peaceful environment); note that TAWWAKKUL (having trust in Allah) means to do whatever possible in a given situation, according to the Quran & the SUNNAH and then leave the result to the true Lord Allah as He knows better; His will is TAQDIR (destiny); the second AAYAT is notable as here it becomes clear that from the time of death, the hypocrites are mentioned as the disbelievers though they had been addressed with the Muslims at their lives (and with them, this AAYAT also refers to the disbelievers that were killed at BADR); note that the space ends to accept Islam truly when the person sees his death and the death of the hypocrites is very painful; the angels that come to take out life from them severely beat them on their faces and on their backs and tell them that they would enter the hell-fire very soon; the Muslims might learn much about this AAYAT if they observe such person at his death who had presented himself as one of the Muslims yet had lived on mostly his life against the life that Islam demands from its adherents; this immediate punishment of severe beating is only because of the evil deeds they had sent ahead at their document of deeds and certainly, Allah is not unjust to His slaves; note that all persons are actually His slaves yet those who accept it by heart by accepting Islam and by working in accordance to it, they actually would receive the true success at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-52 mentions that these disbelievers (hypocrites) are much like the Pharaoh (of the oppression) and his people who disbelieved the AAYAAT of Allah and so Allah punished them severely due to their disbelief; this implies that even that Pharaoh (whose wife saved Moses at his birth) and his near relatives knew about the fundamental teachings of Islam and Allah had given them all the most severe punishment due to their disbelief of the AAYAAT of Allah as He had given to those before them, who had shown disbelief to those teachings (see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); note that when the Quran mentions some issue twice and they are very near to each other, there is some delicate difference in both so as AAYAT-54 mentions the Pharaoh and his people again so here the mention relates to the Pharaoh of the Exodus; this is notable that here the AAYAT relates this matter too that they were drowned though AAYAT-52 does not mention that specific punishment; Allah gave the command to Adam-AS & Eve-AS to descend to the earth twice so they differ in nature as the first denoted the punishment to them but after Allah forgave them, the second denoted their examination (see Surah BAQARAH-35 to 39); AAYAT-53 tells the rule that Allah provides all persons with peace and all ease in getting their worldly necessities as He has set the world, the place of examination, in such manner that there remains no deprivation of necessities to any of His creation yet when they are deprived of the necessities, it is the outcome of their own doings; when the persons fall to live at the level of animals with care only to their physical needs and care but little for their spiritual need that is the Guidance to the right path then Allah punishes them by hunger and by fear of all sorts as this is what concerns the animals (see Surah NAHL-112); they involve all their efforts to get the economic stability even if it puts high burden to other peoples and involve all their mental capability to find ways by the development of sophisticated weapons even if it causes extreme fear to other peoples, to avoid the fear that they do not become bound to the authority of some other peoples but they come to control their matters without any right to it; note that Allah, the true Lord, has taken the charge to provide for the basic physical need that is food & water to every person who does ask for it from Him (see Surah HOODH-6) and He has also taken the responsibility to provide for the basic spiritual need that is Guidance to the right path to every person who does ask for it from Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead says that there are disbelievers (among the Jews) who are the worst of animals in view of Allah and so they would never believe in the teachings of Islam; they are such persons who make treaties with Muslims and then break them every time and they have no fear of Allah to guide them; O Prophet PBUH – if you find someone from these persons assisting the enemy at the battle (against the treaty) and you get the control of him, give him such punishment that scatters the Jews (i.e. affects them to avoid such treacherous acts) so that they are mindful to act by the treaty; if you find them all treacherous that are inclined to breach of the treaty, then throw it to them on such equal terms that you might challenge all of them if and when necessary; Allah certainly does not appreciate the treacherous persons (so neither you bear such treachery nor you take anything against the treaty while it is valid; finish it off so you might challenge them at necessity); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Eighth Ruku
59. And let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape.
60. And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.
61. And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
62. And if they intend to deceive you-- then surely Allah is sufficient for you; He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers
63. And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise.
64. O Prophet - Allah is sufficient for you and for such of the believers as follow you.
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The Ruku commences by the statement that the disbelievers must not think that they have saved their-selves as they have escaped death at BADR; they would not be able to prevent the wrath of Allah to fall upon them if they do not come to Islam; and O Muslims - you would prepare against the disbelievers the strength to fight them as much as possible for you and the horses at watch that you would remain capable to frighten the enemy of Allah (the disbelievers) and your enemy (the hypocrites) and others besides them (this includes all that are unseen to them i.e. the JINN that are evil and have taken as their task to misguide the Muslims; the Persians; the Roman Dynasty and all persons to come ahead at the world that might challenge the Muslims); you Muslims do not know them but Allah knows them and whatever you spend in the way of Allah that would bring rewards to you at the worldly life and at AKHIRAT so it would be returned to you in much better manner; and certainly you would not be dealt unjustly; as horses are mentioned categorically here so whatever be the technique of the war, the Muslims would have such battalions at all their forces against the enemy where they would have their trained horses to combat; the trained war-horses for the combat do have some capability to detect the unseen danger (sometimes even much prior to its manifestation) and they must remain the necessary element in the forces of Muslims; and O Muslims - if the disbelievers incline to the pact of peace, make that pact with them and do not worry that they would do against their word at some crucial time but you only have TAWAKKUL towards Allah; He is Most Hearing (of their planning against the Muslims) and Most Knowing (how to make things better for the Muslims); Al-Hamdu Lillah; if the disbelievers try to deceive you then Allah would help you and His help is enough to limit them in their planning and action; He would provide that help directly (by the angels) and by the true Muslims that accompany you; it is Allah Who has put attraction in their hearts for each other and if O Muhammad PBUH – you were to spend whatever amounts of wealth the earth holds, you would not have put such attraction into their hearts; but Allah has united them with affection for each other and certainly, Allah is Mighty (so He brings the matters of the world as He intends by His commands in the direct manner) and Most Wise (so He makes those impressions take hold that lead the world to His intended destination and no other); Al-Hamdu Lillah; O Prophet PBUH – the help of Allah is most sufficient for you and for all those who follow you among your companions and they are the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Ninth Ruku
65. O Prophet - urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.
66. For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you; so if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.
67. It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.
68. Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to.
69. Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku asks the Prophet PBUH to urge the Muslims for QITAL (the fight against the disbelievers) and gives this good tiding that even the true Muslims are twenty only, they would be enough to win the field against two hundred of disbelievers; if the true Muslims that are hundred and face a thousand of disbelievers, the Muslims would even then defeat them; the quantity of disbelievers would not stand against the quality of the Muslims to fight them for the simple reason that they are not aware of the blessing of the Islamic teachings when they are in practice clearly; this AAYAT though statement, provides this as command that the Muslims (if they face disbelievers that are ten times more in quantity) have to fight them and they would not back-out from the combat though if the disbelievers are much more, then the Muslims have the option to withdraw their-selves from QITAL; the next AAYAT gives concession in the command and makes the Muslims liable to fight the disbelievers necessarily when at maximum, they are double in number to the Muslims and beyond that, the Muslims have the option to withdraw; the reason for this concession is given at the AAYAT that they do have some weakness (in the power to fight) yet Allah would assist them if they do relate themselves to SABR; note that this AAYAT-65 is among the five AAYAAT the command of which has changed and so it is an AAYAT which Allah has caused to be forgotten (see the note at the thirteenth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); for the AAYAT ahead, note that the Prophet PBUH had decided to free the captives of BADR that had come at the custody of the Muslims by taking FIDYAH (the ransom amount); the Muslims were in hard situation and needed some economic stability so this seemed fine to get the situation better but Allah did not endorse this decision; the AAYAT tells that it is not fit for the Prophet PBUH to let these captives free but without making them captives, he should have ordered their execution; the Muslims intend to get the worldly assets yet Allah intends to give JANNAH to them at AKHIRAT; and things would gradually get better for the Muslims that would lead to their financial prosperity; Allah certainly is Mighty (so He would provide their necessities even in much hard times) and Most Wise (so He would lead the circumstances to such position where the Muslims would find ease in their economic necessities); Al-Hamdu Lillah; if Allah had not provided you O Muslims - the command relating to the captives that might come in your custody at war, you would have faced a severe punishment at the worldly life for whatever you have taken against the release of the captives; the command mentioned here at the AAYAT relates to AAYAT-4 of Surah Muhammad (PBUH) which has such direction that it might be interpreted as allowed for the Muslims to decide for their freedom by claiming some amounts from them; note that Surah Muhammad (PBUH) had descended before ANFAAL though its placement in the Quran is as the forty-seventh Surah; the last AAYAT tells that you Muslims may put into use the amounts of ANFAAL that you have taken (and even the ransom amounts) so use it as best as you can according to Islam; and develop TAQWA to Allah; and Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Last Ruku
70. O Prophet - say to those of the captives who are in your hands: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give to you better than that which has been taken away from you and will forgive you, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
71. And if they intend to act unfaithfully towards you, so indeed they acted unfaithfully towards Allah before, but He gave (you) mastery over them; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
72. Surely those who believed and fled (their homes) and struggled hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, and those who gave shelter and helped-- these are guardians of each other; and (as for) those who believed and did not migrate, not yours is their guardianship until they migrate; and if they seek aid from you in the matter of religion, aid is incumbent on you except against the people between you and whom there is treaty, and Allah sees what you do.
73. And (as for) those who disbelieve, some of them are the guardians of others; if you will not do it, there will be in the land persecution and great mischief.
74. And (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision.
75. And (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah; surely Allah knows all things.
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There were such persons among the captives of BADR who were unhappy on the amounts asked from them for their release (and Abbas, the paternal uncle of the Prophet PBUH, was among them); everybody had to pay the ransom amount except for ABUL-AAS who was the son-in-law of the Prophet PBUH (who had not yet accepted Islam) and provided a necklace as the ransom amount; that necklace belonged to Khadija-RA, the first wife of the Prophet PBUH, who had always cared for him as his loving companion for twenty five years at Makkah and the last eleven years or so of which were the most trying times for them; he returned the necklace to ABUL-AAS with the permission of his SAHABA at BADR but asked him to send ZAYNAB, his wife who was the eldest of daughters of the Prophet PBUH, to Madinah when he returns to Makkah which he did (and afterwards he also accepted Islam and came to Madinah); AAYAT-70 tells the Prophet PBUH to tell the captives that if Allah knows any good in their hearts, He would provide them TOFIQ to come to Islam and He would forgive them and that most certainly is better than whatever is taken from them as ransom; Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; if any of these captives intend to deceive the Muslims (by the breach of their agreement) then before this, they have tried to ignore the word that they gave to Allah at the world of spirits (see AARAAF-172) so Allah gave the Muslims the control over them (as they became captives) so the Muslims do not need to worry and they would keep TAWAKKUL on Allah; and Allah certainly is Knowing and Most Wise; AAYAT-72 tells that both the distinctive sides of the Muslims that are MUHAJIRIN (the Muslims that had migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and ANSAAR (the basic residents of Madinah), these all are true friends to each other; and MUHAJIRIN have no rights to the inheritance with those who had accepted Islam yet they have not migrated to Madinah until they do migrate; but if those Muslims who had not yet migrated, ask help from the Muslims at Madinah in the matters of Islam, they need to help them unless it is against such people with whom the Muslims have some treaty of peace; certainly, Allah sees what they all do; the disbelievers are guardians to each other against Muslims so if the Muslims do not care for their agreements with any of them, that would cause extreme trouble to the Muslims as it would lead to FITNAH (that would make keeping to the true Belief most difficult) at the place and that would also lead to FASAD (that would make keeping to the righteous deeds most difficult); AAYAT-74 tells, “and (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly, they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision”; so here the general status of both MUHAJIRIN and ANSAAR has been confirmed that both of these distinctive sides of Muslims are true Muslims; the AAYAAT at the beginning of this Surah has provided the introduction to the true Muslims that tells, “they ask you about the windfalls (ANFAAL); say - the windfalls are for Allah and the Apostle, so be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Apostle if you are believers; those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust; those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them; these are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and the honorable sustenance”; now this last but one AAYAT of the Ruku provides the degree to both the distinctive sides of Muslims that they both fulfill the criteria of being the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT reads, “and (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah; surely Allah knows all things”; this implies that those Muslims that accepted Islam late and left Makkah and they also faced the trying times with the Muslims at Madinah, they too are good Muslims as other of SAHABA; however, the inheritance is the rights of the near relatives so even if MUHAJIRIN and ANSAAR are very close to each other, they would not inherit amounts from each other as Allah has given this ruling among the Muslims; their relation asks for the spiritual strength and Allah certainly knows all things; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of ANFAAL ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah
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Surah TAUBAH
(Consists of 16 Ruku)
(H-8; H-9; H-10)
TAUBAH-The First Ruku
1. (This is a declaration of) immunity by Allah and His Apostle towards those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement.
2. So go about in the land for four months and know that you cannot weaken Allah and that Allah will bring disgrace to the disbelievers.
3. And an announcement from Allah and His Apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah and His Apostle are free from liability to the idolaters; therefore if you repent, it will be better for you, and if you turn back, then know that you will not weaken Allah; and announce painful punishment to those who disbelieve.
4. Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have not failed you in anything and have not backed up any one against you, so fulfill their agreement to the end of their term; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).
5. So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
6. And if one of the idolaters seek protection from you, grant him protection till he hears the word of Allah, then make him attain his place of safety; this is because they are a people who do not know.
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This is the only Surah that does not have BISM-Allah prefixed to it though it is better that after reading of its first Ruku, its reader takes a gap of some moments and then recites the BISM-Allah; the Surah begins with the mention that Allah and His Messenger have ended the treaty of peace that was among the Muslims and the disbelievers; there were four months that the disbelievers at Makkah had to either accept Islam or either leave the area of HARAM; if they do not avail any of these options, the Muslims would kill them as after sending the Messenger to some nation, Allah appoints such time where they would ultimately accept the fundamental Islamic teachings or face certain death and now Allah would provide this destruction to the disbelievers by the hands of the Muslims; it also mentions the battle of HUNAYN and mostly the battle of TABUK (towards which the Muslims marched on at Rajab of 9th year of HIJRAH i.e. October/November 630-AD and the temperature at that time at Madinah was extremely hot); it mentions TAUBAH (the Repentance) of three of SAHABA-RA that Allah accepted, who did not attend TABUK without any valid reason; note that all the Muslims had taken-up the social boycott of these three on the direction of the Prophet PBUH; note also that though before TABUK, it was not necessary for every Muslim man to attend the battles fought against the disbelievers when there was enough force of the Muslims to challenge them yet the Prophet PBUH had clearly ordered all of the Muslims that were able to fight, to become the part of the force that would advance to the place named TABUK necessarily as that advance was their challenge to the force of the Roman Empire; these three did not attend it due to their slackness so that was without any valid reason and so they faced their punishment; Allah accepted their repentance that is mentioned in this Surah and then their social boycott ended after fifty days of their trial; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note this interesting thing about this first Ruku that many of Ruku ahead in this Surah had descended before it yet as this Ruku is most important to the subject-matter of this Surah (that is the command of Allah to the Muslims that they have to challenge the disbelievers finally in the most direct manner), it comes first at the Surah; note here that this Surah is the last of Surah to descend and at that time, the end of the worldly life of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH was very near; to understand this Ruku better that opens the Surah, we need to remember that though Muhammad PBUH was sent to all peoples of the world of all times to come, yet he especially belonged to Arabia and as such, Allah sent him especially to the Arabs of that time; our study of Surah AARAAF shows us that when some nation disbelieves the Messenger that Allah has sent to them, then Allah saves the Messenger and the believers with him and He puts some deadly destruction on that disbelieving nation; now, when Allah had given rise to the voice of Islam from Arabia and the Muslims had become a strong force of Allah then due to the manner of Allah, He commanded Muhammad PBUH to tell the idolaters (especially at Makkah) in final terms either to believe in Islam or either to face the force that Allah had raised (i.e. the Muslims) against such disbelievers of Islam (see AAYAAT-13, 14 & 15 ahead of the next RUKU); however, they were allowed if they did not intend to accept Islam to leave Arabia and go away to anywhere else in the four months at progress from the days of HAJJ at the 9th year of Hijrah; though the Emir that led the procession to that HAJJ was ABU-BAKR-RA yet the Prophet PBUH also sent his first cousin who also was his son-in-law Ali-RA towards Makkah to announce this message at the 9th day of the month of HAJJ at Makkah (the Prophet PBUH performed his only HAJJ the next year that is named as HAJJATUL-WIDA i.e. the farewell HAJJ); Ali-RA joined the procession en-route to Makkah and made sure that all the disbelievers get this message well there that from now on, the disbelievers would not perform HAJJ ever and it would remain totally decent (note that the disbelievers at Makkah that were idolaters used to perform HAJJ not only with SHERK but in extremely indecent manner too); all treaties of peace that the Muslims had made with them would now become null and void except for those agreements that were bound to specific timing and the other party to it has shown commitment to it without any troubles to the Muslims as they never provided aid to any of challengers to the Muslims; so it is the asking of TAQWA to Allah for the Muslims to care for those agreements to their culmination; the message was clear that if the idolaters did not intend to accept Islam, they had four months to leave the land and go away from HARAM and this direction had the subtle indication that very soon, the land of Arabia would remain pure and far-away from all SHERK and disbelief; Al-Hamdu Lillah; all of the disbelievers must know well that they are unable to stop Allah from whatever He intends to bring forth and He would certainly put all of the disbelievers to extreme disgrace; so the idolaters, even if they manage to escape the punishment of death at the world, would certainly face the most agonizing punishment at AKHIRAT; AAYAT-5 tells most explicitly that when the sacred months have passed away, then the Muslims would slay the idolaters wherever they find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up the SALAH and pay the ZAKAH, then only they would leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving (so He would accept their asking for forgiveness) and He is Merciful (so He would provide them TOFIQ to better themselves in their belief and in their deeds); any such person from among the idolaters who needs to learn the fundamental teachings of Islam under the protection of the Prophet PBUH, he would accept his plea and the Muslims would provide him those teachings as best as they are able to, and then leave him to his place of security so that he may reflect on what he has learnt of Islam with convenience as there are persons among the disbelievers who are yet unaware of the fundamental teachings of Islam; note here that this command to either accept Islam or to either leave the HARAM (with their families who believed the same as they believed) for some place much far-away, was the most specific treatment to the idolaters of Makkah; Allah had sent His last Messenger Muhammad PBUH in them and He had left no option for them to disbelieve by providing them the total clarity for the Islamic teachings by the Quran; Al-Hamdu-Lillah; so this is not an example to cite for the command of JEHAD (or in better words for the command of QITAL as that term actually means the fight against the disbelievers who challenge the Islamic teachings and though the term JEHAD enfolds it yet it is much more wide in its meaning than QITAL) as that example would cause extreme misunderstanding to its ruling; note that by the blessing of Allah, I, MSD, have provided the ruling for QITAL explicitly at the twenty sixth Ruku of BAQARAH when the Muslims need to attack the enemy, and here, I would provide that ruling again; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there are conditions for the issue of QITAL/JEHAD by attack and I, MSD, would presently state its five most notable conditions by using here the term JEHAD only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first is that it is necessary for Muslims to convey the basic Islamic Teachings explicitly to the enemy before the JEHAD that the Muslims initiate; the second is that the enemy they fight against, has not only rejected Islam but even the offer to formulate a respectable pact with Muslims in clear terms either with the agreement to pay JIZYA (monetary tax for their protection) or without it; if they break-up their agreement especially without information, that would bring them at the position where, with other conditions of the aggressive JEHAD intact, the Muslims would have to challenge them immediately as this breach even asks for the defense of Muslims at such occasion; the third is to fight that strictly under the command of the wise & courageous Islamic commander with full sincerity to him in that JEHAD; the fourth is that each of the warrior himself shall be such Muslim who avoids major sins with high commitment to Islam and the fifth is that Muslims have gathered the necessary physical force to fight the enemy with high caliber; there is much detail to these conditions at the books of FIQH for those who intend elaboration on these; note that missing of any of these five conditions renders the initiative to JEHAD unnecessary though Muslims would fight JEHAD in defense most enthusiastically against the enemy where they are challenged and they certainly have no such conditions to see at such defensive JEHAD; note also that the Quran does ask for JEHAD (in the meaning of QITAL) at different places but sometimes it takes-up the matter with the understanding that the disbelievers have rejected the message of Islam and sometimes advices the Muslims where the disbelievers have broken their pacts with the Muslims while showing explicitly by their attitude that they have rejected the message of Islam; here at TAUBAH, Allah commands the Muslims to kill those idolaters of Makkah who neither accept Islam nor keep away from HARAM after the given four months so it relates to the specific place and the specific time; this asks for the highest of caution in comments upon the AAYAAT related to JEHAD to which sadly those who do not understand the expressions of the Quran, do not pay any attention and as such, come to such meanings that challenge the teachings of the Quran rather than interpret it correctly; they certainly must keep the Ahadith in view with high observation to how it presents the issue; in this important discussion, please note also that the true Muslims actually are the force of Allah upon the earth and they certainly have committed their-selves to see that His authority is never challenged in any manner; please note well that though at necessity, they might call JEHAD against the disbelievers even if they have to initiate it yet there are valid reasons as of now that the Muslims would avoid the initiation of JEHAD; the foremost of these valid reasons is that it would kill the most high quantity of innocent persons at both sides due to the most deadly weapons in use (though they certainly are not truly the weapons of war) and Islam does not appreciate to kill any of innocent persons in this manner (even by the name of JEHAD) especially when they are among the most weakest persons of their respective nations; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Second Ruku
7. How can there be an agreement for the idolaters with Allah and with His Apostle; except those with whom you made an agreement at the Sacred Mosque? So as long as they are true to you, be true to them; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).
8. How (can it be) - while if they prevail against you, they would not pay regard in your case to ties of relationship, nor those of covenant; they please you with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors.
9. They have taken a small price for the AAYAAT of Allah, so they turn away from His way; surely evil is it that they do.
10. They do not pay regard to ties of relationship nor those of covenant in the case of a believer; and these are they who go beyond the limits.
11. But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, they are your brethren in faith; and We make the AAYAAT clear for the people who know.
12. And if they break their oaths after their agreement and (openly) revile your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief-- surely their oaths are nothing-- so that they may desist.
13. What - will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers.
14. Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of the believing people.
15. And remove the rage of their hearts; and Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Most Knowing, Wise.
16. What- do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard and have not taken any one as closest besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do.
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The RUKU tells the Muslims that they must not trust the idolaters in the agreements that they have made with them; they would break their agreement most conveniently without care to the Muslims (and they would not even care for the blood relations that they have with them) if they see that they would manage to save themselves from the Muslims even after the breach of the agreement; they intend to deceive the Muslims by their speech that does not agree with what they have in their hearts for the Muslims so that the Muslims care about them though they would never care for the Muslims if they get some control over the Muslims, neither even due to the blood relations nor even due to the agreements that they had made, so many of them are most sinful; note that the disbelievers at Makkah had assisted their allies at the tribe of Bani-BAKR against the allies of the Muslims at the tribe of KHUZA’A that was against the agreement that they had made with the Muslims at HUDAYBIA and that led to the end of that agreement to the detriment of the disbelievers; however, the Muslims would care for those agreements up-to their culmination with the disbelievers who have kept their word and so as they care for that, the Muslims too would care for that; Allah appreciates this attitude of TAQWA; AAYAT-9 tells that there are such disbelievers among them who incline extremely to the worldly base desires so instead of believing in the AAYAAT of Allah, they stop their selves from following the right path most intently; certainly, whatever they do is extremely bad; they are more inclined to disregard the blood relations with the Muslims or the treaties that they have made with the Muslims so they certainly are the most unjust persons; the AAYAT ahead goes on to tell the Muslims that if these idolaters leave all wrongs and take-up Islam truly by heart (that would manifest by their true repentance upon wrongs and by their reading of SALAH and by their paying of ZAKAH) and fulfill other of the duties that Islam puts on them, with high commitment then they are like brothers to other of the Muslims due to the righteous belief so in this way, Allah elaborates AAYAAT for those who do understand; AAYAT-12 tells that if the disbelievers break their treaty with the Muslims and blame the Muslims on taking-up the teachings of Islam, the Muslims ought to fight these persons at Makkah who have become chiefs to lead the people in disbelief; they have no care to their treaties so when the Muslims fight with them, that might lead them to check their wrongful attitudes towards the Muslims for their own safety; and why the Muslims not fight such wrong persons who had already broken their oaths and had decided to expel the Prophet PBUH from his residing place (Makkah) and they initiated this all at the first place; the Muslims would not fear them but fear Allah (with His love inside) that He does not punish them if they disobey Him; the Muslims must fight them and Allah would punish them by the hands of the Muslims (as He does punish severely all those who totally reject His message) and He would bring them to extreme disgrace (in their worldly lives), and He would assist the Muslims against them (by angels) and heal the hearts of the believing people (that they would not go on suffering at the hands of the disbelieving persons); Allah would clear the hearts of those believing persons who had been wronged by the disbelievers and He would even give TOFIQ from among those disbelievers to whom He wills to accept Islam; and He certainly is the Most Knowing and the Most Wise; the last AAYAT explicitly tells that the Muslims would have to discard all fears of the disbelievers and fight them to express the authority of Allah in clear terms so that Allah brings at fore those persons from among the Muslims who have struggled hard and have not taken anyone as closest to them besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah certainly is aware of all the deeds that the Muslims do; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Third Ruku
17. The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of Allah while bearing witness to disbelief against themselves, these it is whose doings are null, and in the fire shall they abide.
18. Only he shall visit the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the latter day, and keeps up prayer and pays the poor-rate and fears none but Allah; so (as for) these, it may be that they are of the followers of the right course.
19. What - do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the Sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah's way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
20. Those who believed and fled (their homes), and strove hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers (of their objects).
21. Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and (His) good pleasure and gardens, wherein lasting blessings shall be theirs;
22. Abiding therein forever; surely Allah has a Mighty reward with Him.
23. O you who believe - do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they love disbelief more than belief; and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, these it is that are the unjust.
24. Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.
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The Ruku starts by the statement that the idolaters have no right to become caretakers to the Mosques (specially the MAJIDUL-HARAAM where the KA’BAH is located) and due to their disbelief, all of their deeds have become waste so they would be the dwellers of the hell-fire where they would remain forever; the caretakers to them would only be those good Muslims who truly believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment and they read SALAH and pay ZAKAH and they do not fear anyone except Allah so these may be those who are among the guided persons; note that the Quran sometimes uses “may be” as here to denote that there is hope from Allah that He would accept the persons for the good task in the discussion and it sometimes uses the past tense for the future events to emphasize that whatever is mentioned is most certain to occur; there were such persons among the disbelievers who boasted that they provide the drinking water to the persons who come to visit the KA’BAH and they are the caretakers to that most respectable Mosque so Allah states that in front of Allah, the provision of the drinking water or even the caretaking of the Mosque does not compare with the true believer who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment and takes-up JEHAD in the way of Allah (note that the term JEHAD means here to say the SALAH and pay the ZAKAH with total attention towards Allah); and Allah certainly does not guide those who are most unjust of the disbelievers; AAYAT-20 tells clearly that the true believers who believe in Allah and have made the Hijrah (the migration to Madinah from Makkah) and have taken-up JEHAD by their wealth and with their selves (their abilities and their efforts) in the way of Allah, they are most certainly better in status and they actually are those who achieve the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; their true Lord tells them that they would get mercy from their true Lord and His pleasure that would lead them to JANNAAT where they would have the eternal blessing for them; they would live in such blessing for eternity never to end so the certain of all things is that Allah only has the greatest of the good returns for the true belief of the Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-23 guides the Muslims not to take their fathers or their brothers as guardians if their fathers or their brothers prefer the disbelief over the true belief; this AAYAT guides those Muslims who had not yet taken-up the Hijrah to revise their preferences as their near ones in relatives are the reason for their slackness so with this attitude, they also would become the unjust persons; the next AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the Muslims explicitly that if the Muslims prefer their fathers, their children, their brothers, their spouses, their near-family members and the property which they have acquired, the trade in which they fear loss and dwellings which they like much, over the love of Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then they shall wait till Allah brings about His command about such persons who have such adverse preferences; and Allah certainly does not guide the most sinful persons; note that the AAYAT is very strict for the Muslims who have yet to set their preferences in the best of manners and implies clearly that the Muslim person would be most clear about his attitudes that the eight things mentioned do not become more important to him than the three things that are the commands of Allah, the good directions of the Prophet PBUH for their practical application and JEHAD in His way (that means to take up QITAL where necessary and also the reading of SALAH and the paying of ZAKAH with total attention towards Allah); the Muslim person must be committed to all three as that only would lead him to attaining the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fourth Ruku
25. Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of HUNAYN, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating.
26. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the disbelievers.
27. Then will Allah after this turn (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
28. O you who believe - the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He pleases; surely Allah is Knowing, Wise.
29. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku states that Allah helped the Muslims at many occasions against the disbelievers and among them, was the battle of HUNAYN too where the force of the Muslims (that consisted of 12000 warriors) marched on after the conquest of Makkah; note that some of the Muslims had boasted about their number that was advancing towards HUNAYN and Allah intended to remind them that not the quantity but the quality of the warriors matters as they had seen at the combats they had before with the disbelievers when the disbelievers had attacked Madinah; it happened that after the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet PBUH got the report that the tribe of Bani-HAWAZIN that lived at the vicinity of HUNAYN near to TA’IF with other of tribes (in which the notable tribe was the Bani-THAQIF) was making preparations to attack the Muslims; not to give them the opening to attack, the Prophet PBUH marched on towards HUNAYN with his ten thousand of SAHABA that had come with him from Madinah plus two thousand more of Makkah who had accepted Islam just then; Bani-HAWAZIN had such persons that were adept in archery and they all had placed their selves in such strategic position at the mountain from where they could shower their arrows fast as much surprise to the Muslims; as the Muslims came near to their strategic camp, they threw their arrows extremely fast as they had planned and it did cause panic among the Muslims at the initial stage of the battle and they dispersed at the field; however, the Prophet PBUH managed the situation then and there by reciting that he surely was the Prophet of Allah (so it is not possible insha-Allah to defeat him decisively at the battlefield) and note here that Allah sent angels too at that occasion; he commanded his uncle ABBAS-RA (who had an impressive voice) who was near to him then, to call out to Muslims that they discipline themselves and attack; the Muslims did so and the outcome was that they did get the victory over the tribe of Bani-HAWAZIN; however, Allah showed them clearly that they would not be relaxed by the quantity of the warriors they have, but they would develop the quality of their good belief inside them by their good deeds as that would insha-Allah lead them to victory; Al-Hamdu Lillah; though the Muslims achieved thousands of slaves from HAWAZIN as was the custom of the day yet the Prophet PBUH ordered the release of all of them as they accepted Islam and asked for that release; note that the Prophet PBUH had announced general amnesty for all of the people of Makkah too when the Muslims had conquered it; after getting the battle of HUNAYN, the Prophet PBUH marched on to TA’IF that was nearby and many of the warrior persons of HAWAZIN had retired there; the tribes there locked their-selves inside the fort there and in spite of high efforts of the Muslims did not show any sign to come out from there; after about 20 days of siege, the Prophet PBUH ordered the SAHABA to retreat to Makkah but he prayed to Allah that even the peoples there at that vicinity who had not yet accepted Islam, come to Islam; Allah accepted his DUA and the next year the delegation from Bani-THAQIF came to Madinah where they accepted Islam and showed its acceptance for the whole of their tribe; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-26 tells that Allah sent down calmness from Him at that occasion of chaos upon His Prophet PBUH and upon all the true Muslims, and He sent down angels to assist the Muslims which they did not see, and He chastised those who disbelieved so in this way he provided extreme punishment to the disbelievers; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah would accept the repentance of persons from among them after the battle is over for whomsoever He wills; Allah certainly is Most Merciful and Most Forgiving; the last couple of AAYAT again guide the Muslims what attitudes they would take about the disbelievers whereas the first of them gives the ruling for the idolaters and the second gives the treatment they would extend to the people of the Book; the first of them says that the Muslims ought to note that the idolaters are most unclean inside, so they shall not approach the sacred Mosque where the KA’BAH is located, after this year; and Muslims need not worry about poverty when the quantity of visitors to Makkah falls temporarily as Allah will enrich them by His grace if He wills; note here that the wealth did pour in by booty and by JIZYA (monetary tax against the safety that the Muslims provide to the disbelievers); Allah certainly is Most Knowing and Most Wise; the last AAYAT tells that the Muslims would fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Day of Judgment and they do not prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited nor follow the right path i.e. Islam; the AAYAT clarifies that these persons are among those who have been given the Book (Torah) so the Muslims would fight those until they pay the tax (JIZYA) to acknowledge the superiority of the Muslims over them; they must necessarily remain committed to the treaty of peace without any challenge to the Muslims and they also must necessarily show the clear acceptance of their inferior state of subjection; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fifth Ruku
30. And the Jews say: UZAIR (Ezra) is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
31. They have taken their doctors of law and their monks for lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah son of Mary and they were enjoined that they should serve one Allah only, there is no god but He; far from His glory be what they set up (with Him).
32. They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the disbelievers are averse.
33. He it is Who sent His Apostle with the Guidance and the true code of life, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.
34. O you who believe - most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement,
35. On the day when it shall be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded.
36. Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah's ordinance since the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred; that is the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves regarding them, and fight the polytheists together as they fight you together; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
37. Postponing (of the sacred month) is only an addition in disbelief, wherewith those who disbelieve are led astray, violating it one year and keeping it sacred another, that they may agree in the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred, and thus violate what Allah has made sacred; the evil of their doings is made fair-seeming to them; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku tells that not only the Christians but the Jews also said about one of the Prophets i.e. Ezra-AS that he was the son of Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements); note that the word used here is IBN and not WALAD and though the latter denotes the son specifically yet IBN is such term that is also applied to show some closeness as IBN-US-SABIL literally means “the son of the way” and it means the traveler in speech; the difference between the Christians and the Jews was that the former took Jesus-AS even as WALAD to Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements; see Surah KAHF-4) while the Jews gave much high respect to Ezra as he provided Torah to them again when it was lost and some faction of them did use such term for him (it is mentioned that the dead sea scrolls have an indication to this statement from some faction of the Jews at certain time); note that it needs utmost care that no one speaks such terms for Allah (especially it must not happen that some significant number of persons take them in their speech) as that might be given some erroneous meanings as the time passes on and it is most probable that such terms mislead the coming generations; so the AAYAT mentions their statement with the like statement of the NASARAA (the Christians) though there is much difference in them; it is something that they do say giving no thoughts to it but it has no validity (that the Christians say) and as it has the most erroneous meaning to it (that the Jews say); the AAYAT tells that the disbelievers at Makkah have also followed them in this statement as they have taken angels as daughters of Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements); so the AAYAT implies that Allah puts His curse upon all such persons who take such manner that misleads not only them but even others too; note that this Ruku especially tells about the wrongs of those persons who come to some status among their people that seemingly is due to their spiritual standing; these people of the Book have taken their religious scholars and their monks as lords, and even Messiah ibn Marium, leaving the true Lord Allah; note that they were commanded strictly to worship Allah only that there is no god but He; they set-up others as equal in authority to Him but far from His glory is what they set up; Al-Hamdu Lillah; after these couple of AAYAAT, the two AAYAAT ahead that are 32 & 33 at this Ruku tell that whatever the disbelievers try, they would never be able to stop the spread of the teachings of Islam as Allah intends that they do spread all over the world providing the light of guidance to all peoples of the world (though its acceptance or its rejection depends upon their own free-will); Al-Hamdu Lillah; please see the supplementary note at this issue after the note at this RUKU; the couple of AAYAAT ahead tell the Muslims about the position of such of the religious scholars and monks of the Jews and the Christians at AKHIRAT who, though seemingly pious, used to take amounts from the people because of their status in their eyes at the world and did even avoid to provide any of the true guidance where they saw their material gains in that avoidance so they even stopped the people from the right path of Allah; they preferred to gather huge amounts of money rather than care to guide the people spiritually according to the commands of Allah; their attitude of gathering gold and silver would result in such punishment to them on that day when they do not spend it in the way of Allah (though taken by wrongful means) that it would be heated at the hell-fire and then their foreheads and their sides and their backs would be branded with it; and they would be told that this is what that they used to hoard so now their hoarded treasure specifically would become their chastisement; by the words of the AAYAT, it seems that even the paper money would be given such manner (and that might be converted to gold as that does represent it) where it would not burn but would be heated at the hell-fire (that has much more heat than the ordinary fire at the world) to brand them; note that even if they had spent huge amounts from what they had taken sinfully, that might have saved them from such painful chastisement at AKHIRAT (though they might have faced other of punishments there) yet their intense love for the material gains (when they had to present the spiritual benefits by providing the true guidance to all people who took them as their guides) would lead them ultimately to such disgrace and such extremely painful chastisement; the last couple of AAYAAT tell the ruling about the months and addresses the wrong that the disbelievers used to commit related to them; the first of them tells that Allah has set the number of months to twelve months and that is since the day when He created the heavens and the earth and four of them are sacred (ZIL-QA’AD, ZIL-HAJJ, Muharram and Rajab; these are the eleventh, twelfth, first and seventh month of the Lunar calendar respectively) so the Muslims would not become unjust to their-selves but they would fight the polytheists together as the polytheists fight them together, at other of months; note that now, the Muslims might challenge the disbelievers even in these months whereas at the times of the Prophet PBUH, it was not allowed to them but near to the last of his worldly life, they had marched towards TABUK in Rajab; and all must know that Allah is with those who take-up TAQWA to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand the last AAYAT, note that the disbelievers used to change the sequence of months at times as the prohibited month (where they considered fighting as prohibited) came at such time when they had planned to fight their opponents; so to remove this hindrance, they displaced it to some other month by will that they brought here and went on with their plans so this was double displacement; Allah disapproved of this practice (that was termed as NASI) and it is notable that the year when the Prophet PBUH performed the HAJJ, every month was at its place in perfect order; since then, they have remained at their order and change is disallowed in them as the commands of Allah about SAUM and HAJJ and even others relate to these lunar months; the Muslims have the responsibility to see that the lunar calendar remains intact so that they keep their practice upon Islam totally intact; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT indicates that NASI (the postponing of the sacred month) only adds to their disbelief, and with it those who disbelieve are led more astray; they violate its sanctity one year and keep it sacred at another so that they may give the impression that they have fulfilled the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred but this attitude only violates what Allah has made sacred; their wrong-doings seems fair to them but this is so that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people; Allah certainly has all authority over all things; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-33 of TAUBAH
Note that ADL (the attitude of Justice) is related mostly to the Man while EHSAAN (the attitude of doing good without any outside pressure but by inner inclination only) is related mostly to the Woman; Al-Hamdu Lillah; today the betterment of the situation needs much of the betterment of women that they come to practice the Islamic Values as the Satan is trying his level-best to tempt the women-folk, especially the Muslim women-folk, to challenge the Islamic values in these present times and EHSAAN is the right keyword to call the women-folk towards the Islamic values; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that there was JAHILIYYAT (the era that had the darkness of ignorance) at Arabia when the last of Messengers Muhammad PBUH came to them and that went away as the light of the Quran (that is the light from Allah that He has provided to the mankind) went on spreading there; Allah sent the Prophet PBUH into them with the true guidance (that is the Quran) and with the true code of life (that are the fundamental teachings of Islam that all the Messengers of Allah have provided to the mankind by the command of Allah) and He tells all the peoples of the world that this code of life would achieve manifest supremacy (when the Muslims do adhere to it in practice fervently) as it rises to height over all other codes; note that the Word of Allah (that is Islam) already has the supremacy over all the words even now yet it would achieve manifestation in practice totally though the disbelievers, particularly the polytheists, detest its practical supremacy at the world; it was by ADL then as the SAHABA challenged the world by the will of Allah and spread Islam all over the known world after Muhammad PBUH; they asked the disbelievers to accept Islam but as Islam has allowed the Muslims clearly, they gave them the option if they do not accept it then they shall strike the treaty of peace with the Muslims or/and agree to pay JIZYA; if they do not even do that then they shall come at the battlefield so as the last option, the sword may decide the difference between them; as the force of Allah, the Muslims would see that the authority of Allah is not challenged and if the disbelief does survive, it does so with total disgrace; it is sad that the disbelievers do not understand Islam (and still they criticize its teachings they get at face) or else they at-least would have told the Muslims that they are still considering the teachings of Islam and that would have bound the Muslims to give them all the space they need (and it would have much relaxed the liability of the Muslims to challenge them at necessity) unless the Muslims themselves had marked the end of this space by their own-selves; so the significant issue here is that though the Muslims have the utmost liability to provide the fundamental teachings of Islam to all the peoples of the world and that provision relaxes it, yet when there are such disbelievers at the world that challenge the Truth in such manner that it does not practically manifest at the world then they would ultimately need to take-up even the fight against them where necessary; note that providing of the Truth to all peoples of the world, then asking the disbelievers (if they do not accept it) for the clear peace-treaty with or without JIZYAH (so that they do not remain any challenge to the true Muslims and to the fundamental teachings of Islam), then even to fight them at the battlefield i.e. QITAL if they do not comply to this demand, all are included in the term JEHAD; it also denotes to speak the truth according to the Quran at most adverse situations at the environment in which the Muslim person lives to make things better by his total attention towards Allah (that is included in TABLIGH) and to fight the desires inside at the individual level that ask him to challenge Islam in his practice but he resists all such satanic temptations by his total attention towards Allah (that also is named as MUJAHIDA); though QITAL (that also is included in JEHAD) is the ultimate outcome when the Muslims provide the Islamic teachings and that arises some of the disbelievers to challenge Islam in all manners to resist its practice yet in these current times, this JAHILIYYAT that we see around is even more dangerous than before as the first one did not have many of satanic concepts behind it yet this one has satanic concepts in different walks of life that it is presenting in an organized manner and also appreciating its forced practice at places without any care to morality; as there seems little if any chance for the disbelievers to come to Islam in huge numbers (except if Allah wills) as of now and as it seems unfeasible for the Muslims to ask the disbelievers for any treaty of peace with or without JIZYA as of now, there remains to challenge the disbelievers by QITAL as the only option and that also is unfeasible as it certainly would cause the death of the most huge number of the most innocent persons by such challenge; so for now, the only genuine option for the Muslims at this issue is that they call Allah, the true Lord, by heart to better things by His absolute authority; He certainly is AZIZ (so He provides for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it) and He certainly is HAKEEM (so He shapes all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and it sometimes takes many years for us to see how things have turned favorably for Islam practically); see also the note at the fifteenth Ruku of BAQARAH for AAYAT-129; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the satanic concepts of this second JAHILIYYAT ask that the Muslims keep the matter of their belief limited to their own individual selves and there, it must remain without asking for any good morality at the environment as the Man is but an animal; these two things that are the satanic concept of secularism that asks not to mention the true authority of Allah at the collective level so that the Satan finds ways to take the hold of the life at the collective level and the satanic concept that the Man is but an animal only that asks to let the animal desires come at fore at the individual level so that the Satan finds ways to take hold of the life at the individual level, are the two most dangerous things to Islam as the former stops the virtues to spread on and the latter asks for the practice of vices without any challenge to them; if the Muslims study the teachings of the renowned professors at the west, they would see that some have presented him as bound to his sexual drive, some have taken him as the caretaker of his territory and he would destroy all those most ferociously without any rhyme or reason who challenge his authority there if he is able to do so; some have taken him as adherent only to his economic necessities to which he would remain totally concerned; some have left even the minimum care to morality declaring that the Man is one of the descendants to animals and as such, nothing but an animal himself; these foolish renowned professors at the west include other of such persons too who have other of such concepts that present him as nothing but an animal and this tells that there is undoubtedly some problem at their psyche in general (so they fear each other intently and fear the Muslims even more); due to this adverse psyche, even taxonomy as of now presents him as being one of animals as it does not have any regards to his spirit and due to this psyche, Allah has punished them by the problems that relate to animals that are the problems of hunger (the economic problems) and by the fear of each other; see Surah NAHAL-112 that is explicit on this; the Muslims certainly need to be extremely careful that they keep away from these foolish assumptions of the foolish professors of the west as they certainly challenge the Islamic good teachings head-on; note that Islam tells us that Allah has created the Man between the Angelic-Character and the Animal-Character so he has both the aspects in his Humane-Character; he must either live at the Angelic-Character by the spiritual development that is the asking of EHSAAN or either live at-least at the same Humane-Character at which he was basically born (named as FITHRAT) that is the asking of ADL; he must never live at the Animal-Character and the point to note here is that he is allowed by Islam to fulfill his physical needs up-to necessity by valid means according to the Islamic Viewpoint as that would let him remain on the Humane-Character with no adversity to that; strange it is that the western foolish professors ask him to live at only the Animal-Character that challenges all the good morality while they all consider the development of the bronze, copper, iron, wood and other of materials that the earth has provided them by the will of Allah, as the development of the Man; if this problem of their psyche in consideration would have remained to them only, its negative effect would have not reached to other of the peoples of the world yet with their rise, the problem has become manifold in its impression; however, the Holy Book Quran clearly indicates to us that if we go on presenting the true guidance i.e. the Holy Book Quran according to the SUNNAH of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH to clarify how the Man and the Woman would live upon Islam in all walks of life, that continuous effort in TABLIGH (that actually is related to JIHAD) would end this JAHILLIYAT insha-Allah as QITAL (that also actually is related to JIHAD) ended that JAHILLIYAT in the known world of yore and the Truth would manifest for certain all over the world totally even at these current times insha-Allah; note that Allah changed the world by ADL at those times yet He might change the world by EHSAAN now as the true Islamic teachings go on spreading all over the world that finish-off the impression of the Satan at the environment in these present times by His will; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we Muslims have to go for TABLIGH of the fundamental teachings of Islam collectively to all for the Guidance to the right path and for their practice in all fields of life now as we Muslims have this obligation collectively after Muhammad PBUH, the last of Messengers; AYAT-33 reads that -“He it is Who sent His Apostle with the Guidance and the true code of life, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions”- this has also come at two other places of the Holy Book Quran that are Surah Al-FATH-28 and Surah SAFF-9; may Allah guide all the peoples of the world towards the fundamental teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Sixth Ruku
38. O you who believe - What (excuse) have you that when it is said to you: Go forth in Allah's way, you should incline heavily to earth; are you contented with this world's life instead of the hereafter? But the provision of this world's life compared with the hereafter is but little.
39. If you do not go forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you, and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things.
40. If you will not aid him, Allah certainly aided him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us. So Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see, and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved; and the word of Allah, that is the highest; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.
41. Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know.
42. Had it been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed you, but the tedious journey was too long for them; and they swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would certainly have gone forth with you; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they most surely are liars.
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From here, the AAYAAT relate the battle of TABUK and its after-effects and this narration goes on to the last of the Surah; it is the area adjacent to Syria where HIRACLIUS, the Roman Emperor of that time, was present then; it is interesting to note that though HIRACLIUS was renowned for his intelligent war-tactic and he had one of the strongest armies at that time yet he avoided to fight the Muslims at TABUK when the Prophet PBUH himself headed the Muslims towards that place; his avoidance gave the message throughout the known world then that the Arab Muslims are no longer weak but they have changed to such formidable nation that are totally able to challenge any political power of the time; the Roman Emperor did not embrace Islam due to the love for his kingdom yet he feared that the Muslims would gain much of the area at Arab lands that is in the control of his empire; it is mentioned that he knew that Muhammad PBUH was truly the Messenger of Allah and if he fights the Muslims when the Messenger himself is at their command, he would certainly lose; his fear did come true when the Muslims got the control of Syria and other of the Arab lands that was in the control of the Roman Empire in the years ahead, especially by the war at YARMOUK; note that the Prophet PBUH had told the Muslims that they would conquer the Romans and even the Persians, the two formidable powers of that time and that happened within the few years of his death; YARMOUK proved to be the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire in all that territory that they never regained from the Muslims; the opening AAYAT at the Ruku asks the Muslims that had some reservations for TABUK, the reason for their avoidance of departure to TABUK; why they are pleased to prefer the life at the world over AKHIRAT while its assets are extremely meager in comparison to what they would receive at AKHIRAT if they adhere totally to Islam; if the Muslims do not go forth, Allah would punish them by some grave punishment even at the world and He would replace them by some other people that do His task and they would be unable to put any harm to Him; He certainly has everything under His control; Allah only is the true authority and He is leading the world as He wills; He had taken Bani-Israel as His force to keep to the fundamental teachings of Islam and to spread them and if they achieve authority somewhere, to implement His word there but they failed miserably so the Muslims were given the task; even among the Muslims, when some did slack in spreading of Islam as Islam asked of them, Allah provided other of Muslims the authority to take-on the work to spread the teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; if the Muslims do not stand by the Prophet PBUH at these trying times, they must remember that Allah had helped him when he was one of the two at the cave (the other was ABU-BAKR-RA at cave of THAUR and that time was when the Prophet PBUH had left with his good companion for Madinah so the disbelievers of Makkah were searching frantically for him and they almost had him); he had said to his companion not to worry as Allah is with them so Allah provided him tranquility and helped him by the forces that were unseen to them all; and He made the word of the disbelievers fall to the lowest (disgraced) position and the word of Allah remained the uppermost; certainly Allah is Mighty and Most Wise; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-41 commands the Muslims to go forth to face the enemy at TABUK, even if they are short of weaponry or loaded with that and fight against the enemy with their resources and with their manual power in the way of Allah; if they knew the true benefits of this, they would have said themselves that this certainly is better for them; note that TABUK was much far-away from Madinah and the temperature had risen much at Madinah though it was about the last decade of October; the notable thing is that though the opponent was the Romans yet the Muslims cared but little for their opponent as they had all TAWAKKUL (trust upon Allah) and with that, they had developed their martial skills to height; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Prophet PBUH usually did not disclose the destination when he led the Muslims and did not ask the compulsory participation in it of anyone yet TABUK was different as he told about it to all; each and every Muslim at Madinah who is able to fight would join in with awareness that it is the far-away TABUK that the expedition heads to and with the awareness that the force departs to challenge the Roman Empire; no doubts to it and that would bring the hypocrites known to all; the last AAYAT tells that there are such persons among the Muslims that had it been an expedition that got them the spoils of the combat early and a journey that had been short, then they would certainly have followed all the Muslims for their personal gains; from here till the last of the Surah, the mention of these persons that are given to hypocrisy, goes on but with AAYAAT that tell about the good traits of the true Muslims too in contrast; these persons that are given to hypocrisy need those gains due to their greed yet they also ask for convenience to get those by time and place; the fact of the matter is that this tedious journey was too long for them in time and place and they swear by Allah that if they had been able, they would certainly have gone forth with the Muslims; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they most surely are liars (so Allah would punish them when and where He intends); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Seventh Ruku
43. Allah pardon you - Why did you give them leave until those who spoke the truth had become manifest to you and you had known the liars?
44. They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil).
45. They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver.
46. And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it, but Allah did not like their going forth, so He withheld them, and it was said (to them): Hold back with those who hold back.
47. Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust.
48. Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (from it).
49. And among them there is he who says: Allow me and do not try me. Surely into trial have they already tumbled down, and most surely hell encompasses the disbelievers.
50. If good befalls you, it grieves them, and if hardship afflicts you, they say: Indeed we had taken care of our affair before; and they turn back and are glad.
51. Say: Nothing will afflict us save what Allah has ordained for us; He is our Patron; and on Allah let the believers rely.
52. Say: Do you await for us but one of two most excellent things? And we await for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or by our hands. So wait; we too will wait with you.
53. Say: Spend willingly or unwillingly, it shall not be accepted from you; surely you are a transgressing people.
54. And nothing hinders their spending being accepted from them, except that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Apostle and they do not come to prayer but while they are sluggish, and they do not spend but while they are unwilling.
55. Let not then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only intends to chastise them with these in this world's life and (that) their souls may depart while they are disbelievers.
56. And they swear by Allah that they are most surely of you, and they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid (of you).
57. If they could find a refuge or cave or a place to enter into, they would certainly have turned thereto, running away in all haste.
58. And of them there are those who blame you with respect to the alms; so if they are given from it they are pleased, and if they are not given from it, lo - they are full of rage.
59. And if they were content with what Allah and His Apostle gave them, and had said: Allah is sufficient for us; Allah will soon give us (more) out of His grace and His Apostle too; surely to Allah do we make our petition.
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This Ruku starts by the statement that though Allah provides the pardon to you O Prophet PBUH yet why did you permit them leave from attending TABUK (whoever asked for it) before it had become clear to you who is speaking the truth and who among them, are the liars; so this was the time when everyone would have seen the hypocrites most clearly; the persons who truly believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment would never ask you leave from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows the MUTTAQIN (those persons who have TAQWA to Allah); this is the attitude of the heart which means that all the Muslims must fear Allah that they do not get His displeasure by their sins becoming so sinful that they lose the chance to regain JANNAH and with that, they also must have such hope to Him that He would keep them safe from the Satan at all times and at all places; they believe in Islam with fervor without any doubts about any of its fundamental teachings and do all good deeds by SABR that is uncaring attitude towards the worldly possessions except for necessity and by SALAH that leads them to care totally for AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the six AAYAT ahead from AAYAT-45 explicitly tell about the persons that were given to hypocrisy and so they tried in all manners to avoid the participation at TABUK; the AAYAT says that these persons that ask the Prophet PBUH for the leave, are such persons who do not believe truly in Allah and the Day of Judgment and their hearts are in doubts about the fundamental teachings of Islam that have left them perplexed; if they really had intended to go forth at the expedition, they would have made some preparations to it but Allah did not like their participation at TABUK so He withheld them, and they were told to keep on sitting with women at home; if they had left with the Muslims at this expedition, they would have only tried to cause some trouble by seeking some dissension among the Muslims that might affect their belief and their deeds adversely; there are still persons among the Muslims who hear them caring for them but this is an unjust attitude for such person who incline towards them; and Allah knows all these unjust persons; they had sought for dissension among the Muslims before this expedition too and they had set plots against the Muslims until the truth came at fore (that is the ultimate defense of their-selves that the Muslims managed at UHUD by the will of Allah and especially the conquest of Makkah), and the commandment of Allah prevailed though they had highly detested that Islam gets the upper hand; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand AAYAT-49, note that among the persons who asked leave from TABUK, was such person too who gave the stupid excuse that as he is most inclined towards beauty so the Prophet PBUH grant him the leave from TABUK as the Roman women are most beautiful so he might fall in some FITNAH; the AAYAT says that he has already fallen into FITNAH (that actually means the most high challenge to the true belief and even to the righteous deeds at some time & place) and this tells that the true Muslim would not leave the virtuous act that is necessary for him on the assumption that he might fall into some extreme wrongful act so he would stop himself by SABR to all wrongs and do the virtuous deed by TAWAKKUL upon Allah; note that it means that the true Muslim person trusts Allah completely for the results but after doing whatever is possible for him at the time and place; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the hell-fire has seized such disbelievers in such manner that they do such tasks that leads them towards the hell-fire only; the AAYAT ahead tells that if the Prophet PBUH achieves some blessing, that grieves them and if he is touched by some trouble, they say that they already had been cautious in this matter and turn away and become happy; Allah gives the hypocrites the answer in the three AAYAAT ahead through the Prophet PBUH (all three start by the command for him to tell them); it says that O Prophet PBUH; tell them - Allah has already written for us Muslims whatever comes to us; He is the true Friend to us and upon Him only, the true Muslims must have TAWAKKUL-; this AAYAT is explicit on the belief in TAQDIR (destiny) that the Muslims must have in them for certain; note that everything is going on in the heavens and in the earth even by the doings of the Man according to the will of Allah (that is TAQDIR); the true belief in that keeps the Muslim person hopeful and he never gets depressed though he must provide to better his matters by his free-will without questioning TAQDIR as Islam asks to take-up belief in the will of Allah yet work for the pleasure of Allah with total TAWAKKUL over Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; O Prophet PBUH; tell them – do they await for the Muslims anything else but one of the two good things (that are the victory over the disbelievers or the SHAHADAT i.e. giving lives for Allah at the battlefield); but the Muslims await for them who have shown hypocrisy at this crucial time either the severe punishment from Allah directly or either He provides them that severe punishment through the hands of the Muslims; so they should go on waiting for the Muslims to get any one of the blessing and the Muslims also would wait for their total destruction -; Al-Hamdu Lillah; tell them – whether they spend anything willingly or unwillingly that seemingly is in the way of Allah, it shall not be accepted from them as most surely, they are the most sinful persons -; the remaining six AAYAAT of the Ruku tell about the attitudes of the hypocrites and how they are punished and how they might be able to remove the curse from them if they really intend for it; AAYAT-54 reads, “And nothing hinders their spending being accepted from them, except that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Apostle and they do not come to prayer but while they are sluggish, and they do not spend but while they are unwilling”; this implies that good deeds even if they seemingly are done for Allah, are not accepted when there is disbelief in Allah and His last Messenger; even their SALAH that they read seemingly for Allah was not by attention towards Him but they read it with laziness just to show that they are among the Muslims; let not their wealth and their sons excite your admiration as these are the very things (that they take their assets) that would prove extreme liability to them; by these, Allah intends to punish them in the worldly life as their obsession to amass wealth would keep them oblivious to AKHIRAT and as their sons would be such disobedient unworthy heirs to them that instead of providing any worldly gains, they would provide only losses to them and that would keep them in grief; Allah intends them to remain in these troubles that seize them until their death gets hold of them; it would happen that if they could remove their most heavy burden of engagement to amass wealth and if they could stop their sons from inflicting any losses to them, by getting some shelter even if that be some cave or be some place safe to enter then they would have rushed hastily to it; among them, are such persons who blame the Prophet PBUH on the distribution of alms so if they get from that as they wish, they are happy with him and if they don’t, they become angry; the last AAYAT tells how they could still better things for their selves; it tells them that it would have been much better for them if they were content with whatever Allah and His Prophet PBUH had provided them; this also implies that they would obey Allah and His Prophet PBUH without any complaints; if they do say with all good intentions that the care from Allah is sufficient for them then Allah will soon give them much more out of His grace and even His Prophet PBUH too will provide for them their needs by the will of Allah; they should remain most attentive only towards Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Eighth Ruku
60. Alms are only for the poor and the needy, and the officials over them, and those whose hearts are made to incline (to truth) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah and the wayfarer; an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise.
61. And there are some of them who molest the Prophet and say: He is one who believes everything that he hears; say: A hearer of good for you (who) believes in Allah and believes the faithful and a mercy for those of you who believe; and (as for) those who molest the Apostle of Allah, they shall have a painful punishment.
62. They swear to you by Allah that they might please you and, Allah, as well as His Apostle, has a greater right that they should please Him, if they are believers.
63. Do they not know that whoever acts in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, he shall surely have the fire of hell to abide in it? That is the grievous abasement.
64. The hypocrites fear lest a chapter should be sent down to them telling them plainly of what is in their hearts. Say: Go on mocking, surely Allah will bring forth what you fear.
65. And if you should question them, they would certainly say: We were only idly discoursing and sporting. Say: Was it at Allah and His AAYAAT and His Apostle that you mocked?
66. Do not make excuses; you have denied indeed after you had believed; if We pardon a party of you, We will chastise (another) party because they are guilty.
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The first AAYAT of this RUKU names the eight rightful persons to get ZAKAH (and from all other of SADAQAH that is the amount given in charity to the needy persons) to answer the statement of such hypocrites who blamed the Prophet PBUH on the distribution of SADAQAH; the mention of the hypocrites continues after this AAYAT in the Ruku to the last and beyond; note that ZAKAH is obligatory to pay so the Muslim person (who has most high amounts left with him even after providing for his necessities) would pay it to only the needy Muslim persons as the AAYAT-60 tells here though he might pay other of SADAQAH even to the non-Muslims if they are needy; note also that it is necessary that he makes the needy Muslim person owner of the ZAKAH that he has given to him; ZAKAH purifies the amounts that the Muslim person has more than his necessity (though those amounts must not be in extreme); in the Islamic teachings, it means to give the amount (that is the fraction of the total value of gold, silver, stocks in trade and cash amounts at hand) to the needy to purify his/her assets as this is the command of Allah; the command for ZAKAH as an obligatory matter came in the second year of the HIJRAH; in the same year, SADAQAH of FITR also became obligatory to pay for Muslims at the EID that comes after RAMADHAN; the command to keep SAUM in RAMADHAN also descended the same year; there are five very important questions in respect to ZAKAH that need answers; on what possessions must he pay ZAKAH, on what quantity of those must he pay it, when must he pay it, where must he pay it and how much of ZAKAH is payable on him; the Quran has guided to pay ZAKAH and Ahadith address these questions in detail for its practical application; the point of importance is whereas the Quran gives Islam in total for all times and all places in its text, Ahadith give it in total for all times and all places in practice; without addressing any minor difference, note for the first question that there are four things at possession that ask for ZAKAH; these are gold, silver, the stocks-in-trade and cash (and kind) as it represents gold and as it is the most acceptable medium of exchange in transactions; note also that gold and silver are always subject to ZAKAH in their own capacity in whatever form they are in possession and the surplus cash at hand and its like also have the same ruling as gold; an important point here is that the Muslim person would assess his share of stocks-in-trade and cash & kind involved at his business as a personal asset even though by the accounting viewpoint the business concern is a separate entity; note also that Sole-Proprietorship, and even Partnership, is fine but it is much better to avoid Joint-Stocks Company due to valid Islamic reasons but I, MSD, would not elaborate on this statement here except for the indication that in matters of ZAKAH, a person must have an acceptable information about the possessions he is paying the ZAKAH on at the specific date and his good control over those possessions on that specific date; for the second question, note that the amount on which the Muslim person becomes liable to pay ZAKAH is called NISAAB and by the amount that is reported at Ahadith, it is 87.5 grams of gold as of today and for silver it is 612.5 grams and even if the Muslim person does not have gold or silver up-to NISAAB individually but these both together amount to the value of NISAAB by the market-value of lesser valuable of the two in cash (that is the market-value of 612.5 grams of silver as of today) even then he would pay ZAKAH as the NISAAB completes even by addition; if all four are individually not equal to NISAAB, they all would be added and if they come to it, the Muslim person would pay the ZAKAH so if the value of any two of cash, gold, silver and stocks-in-trade (or any three of them or even all four of them) sums-up to NISAAB i.e. the market value of 612.5 grams of silver in cash, the person would pay ZAKAH; as for the questions when to pay ZAKAH and where to pay it, note that it is to be paid yearly by cash or kind and the Muslim person liable to it must specify some date of the year of Hijrah by his intention for his ZAKAH; mostly the wealthy Muslims set such date to be some specific day of RAMADHAN when there are very high returns to every good deed done; it must not be changed then except for some totally genuine reason; when the Muslim person has amounts equal to NISAAB at that specific date and also had NISAAB at that specific date the previous year, he would pay ZAKAH, no matter what has come and has gone in between upon his finances; he must care not to change his finances drastically by taking steps to it before that specific date when he really intends to pay; note here how important the intention is and it is said in one of the authentic Ahadith that surely, the deeds depend upon intentions; as to where it would be given, note briefly that it basically would be given to the poor and the needy and the AAYAT-60 here of Surah TAUBAH names eight of the rightful persons for ZAKAH; for the last important question, note that for the cash (& kind), gold, silver and stocks at trade, he would pay 2.5 per cent of the amount of them that results by the total of their value; however, the Muslim person has to pay amounts as his obligation on his cattle too that graze on its own and on his agriculture too at its harvest but not only their NISAAB, their mode of payment also is most unique; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT reads, “SADAQAH are only for the poor (who has no resources for his necessities) and the needy (who is short of resources for his necessities), and the officials over them (that are not given to corruption), and those whose hearts are made to incline (so that they accept Islam due to its care for them but at these current times, this is feasible only when extremely needed) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah (for TABLIGH and JEHAD that occurs as the defense for the practice of the Islamic teachings) and the wayfarer (the traveler who has spent his money with him and has become penniless with inability to call some of his amounts from his homeland); an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells that they say such things about the Prophet PBUH that offend him and among them, is their statement that the Prophet PBUH accepts any excuse that he is given (for the permission for absence from TABUK); O Prophet PBUH; tell the hypocrites – that if the Prophet PBUH hears their (lame) excuses, it is due to his leniency towards them and it is because of their benefit that he does not disclose their identity so that they still remain in the Muslims; he believes in Allah and believes in what the true Muslims state and he is most lenient to the true Muslims among all persons that claim to be Muslims; they should be mindful that all those would face extremely severe punishment even in this world who offend the respectable Prophet PBUH; they swear in their lies so as to please the Muslims yet they should have pleased Allah by truly believing in Him by the acceptance of His commands, and should have pleased His Prophet PBUH by obedience to him in their practice if they really were true Muslims; the AAYAT ahead asks if they are unaware that whoever acts in opposition to Allah and His Prophet PBUH, his eternal abode would be the hell-fire; that certainly is the grievous abasement at AKHIRAT; these hypocrites are always at stress that such Surah does not descend that tells about the matter at their inside so then all would know that they are actually disbelievers to Islam; O Prophet PBUH; tell them - go on mocking, surely Allah would bring forth whatever they fear so they would remain in extreme disgrace among all persons they reside with; when they say something that challenges Islam head-on and it does come at fore, they change that by saying that they stated all this in jest only and only with playing gestures; ask them – did they mean that they are mocking at Allah and His AAYAAT and His Prophet PBUH; note that to disrespect Allah or the Quran or the Prophet PBUH is certain disbelief of the most rude nature that offends the Muslims highly and the Muslims certainly would challenge all such persons in all the manner possible, who commit such act of disbelief; these hypocrites must not make such foolish excuses as they certainly have disbelieved after they had claimed that they had believed; if Allah does pardon a faction of them (by providing them TOFIQ to accept Islam truly), He shall punish severely the other faction directly or by the hands of the Muslims at the world, as they certainly are most guilty of the extreme disbelief; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Ninth Ruku
67. The hypocritical men and the hypocritical women are all alike; they enjoin evil and forbid good and withhold their hands; they have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them; surely the hypocrites are the transgressors.
68. Allah has promised the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the disbelievers the fire of hell to abide therein; it is enough for them; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have lasting punishment.
69. Like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children, so they enjoyed their portion; thus have you enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion; and you entered into vain discourses like the vain discourses in which entered those before you. These are they whose works are null in this world and the hereafter, and these are they who are the losers.
70. Has not the news of those before them come to them; of the people of Noah and Aad and Thamood, and the people of ABRAHAM and the dwellers of MADYAN and the overthrown cities; their apostles came to them with clear arguments; so it was not Allah Who should do them injustice, but they were unjust to themselves.
71. And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Apostle; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
72. Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure; that is the grand achievement.
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The Ruku continues with the description of the hypocrites and this Ruku also states the traits of the good Muslims in contrast; the main feature of the hypocrites, men and women, is that they advise for the wrongs and forbid the righteousness and they withhold their hands i.e. they do not spend anything on the needy and they avoid JEHAD; they have forsaken Allah (and do not put His commands into practice that puts some burden to their-selves) so Allah has forsaken them (so He would not provide them tranquility in the world and at AKHIRAT, they would be severely punished); these certainly are the sinful persons; the AAYAT ahead implies that Allah has promised these hypocrites, men and women, and other of the disbelievers the hell-fire to abide therein; that would be the worthy punishment to them providing enough of that what they really deserve; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have the lasting punishment; these hypocrites are like those persons who were before them and were stronger than them and had more of possessions and more of sons than them; so they enjoyed their parts at the world at their times and the hypocrites also have enjoyed their parts at the world at these times, and the hypocrites too indulged in futile things as they did; their deeds have perished at this world and at AKHIRAT; and they certainly are the losers (as AKHIRAT truly matters where they would be the extreme losers when they would be entered into the hell-fire); AAYAT-70 reminds them of the nations that were destroyed even in the world too so if they want worldly benefits, that also they would be unable to achieve ultimately as to oppose any of Prophets when he is present in the nation and providing the message of Allah with all fervor, certainly leads the disbelievers ultimately to destruction; their deaths would certainly be violent and most untimely for their liking; it was not Allah that was unjust to them (as He never gives troubles to anyone unless his own belief and the deeds that he does, ask for that) so it is that they were themselves responsible for their destruction; certainly, Allah is truly Powerful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku tell about the true Muslims in contrast to hypocrites; they read, “And (as for) the believing men and the believing women (that are the true Muslims), they are guardians of each other; they enjoin the good and forbid evils and keep up SALAH and pay ZAKAH (while the hypocrites withhold their hands to say their SALAH in the proper manner that denotes that they have forsaken Allah and that is the reason they do not care about JEHAD and they also do not care to pay anything to the needy); the true Muslims obey Allah and His Prophet PBUH (so as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty (so He would provide such ways at the world for them that they keep to the obedience of Allah in all His commands and practice them as His Prophet PBUH had directed) and He is Most Wise (so He would lead the world to such manner that they would find convenience in keeping to Islam); Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women JANNAAT beneath which flow the beautiful streams, to abide in them, and (also) goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is the goodly pleasure of Allah; that is the most grand achievement”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Tenth Ruku
73. O Prophet; strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.
74. They swear by Allah that they did not speak, and certainly they did speak, the word of disbelief, and disbelieved after their Islam, and they had determined upon what they have not been able to effect, and they did not find fault except because Allah and His Apostle enriched them out of His grace; therefore if they repent, it will be good for them; and if they turn back, Allah will chastise them with a painful chastisement in this world and the hereafter, and they shall not have in the land any guardian or a helper.
75. And there are those of them who made a covenant with Allah - If He gives us out of His grace, we will certainly give alms and we will certainly be of the good.
76. But when He gave them out of His grace, they became niggardly of it and they turned back and they withdrew.
77. So He made hypocrisy to follow as the consequence into their hearts till the day when they shall meet Him because they failed to perform towards Allah what they had promised with Him and because they told lies.
78. Do they not know that Allah knows their hidden thoughts and their secret counsels, and that Allah is the great Knower of the unseen things?
79. They who taunt those of the faithful who give their alms freely, and those who give to the extent of their earnings and scoff at them; Allah will pay them back their scoffing, and they shall have a painful chastisement.
80. Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them; this is because they disbelieve in Allah and His Apostle, and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.
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In the first AAYAT of this Ruku, Allah asks the Prophet PBUH to strive hard against the disbelievers especially the hypocrites; note that Allah has used the term that relates to JEHAD but here it does not mean QITAL as the Prophet PBUH never took-up that against the hypocrites while the Muslims in general are disallowed to name someone as hypocrite; note that it means to strive hard here against them taking such steps that they are unable to affect the Muslims adversely and remain cautious of their negative plans against the true Muslims; Allah has asked the Prophet PBUH explicitly to remain most strict in attitudes against the disbelieves especially the hypocrites; their abode is the hell-fire and that is the most evil destination; they swear by Allah that they did not speak the words that denote disbelief in them (though they claim to have accepted Islam), and they are most intent on causing troubles to the Muslims but they have remained unable to do it, and instead of showing gratitude to Allah because Allah and His Apostle enriched them out of His grace, they show ingratitude; if they repent, it would be good for them but if they turn back, Allah would punish them most severely in this world and the hereafter, and they shall not have on the earth any true guardian or any true helper; the next four AAYAAT (from 75 to 78) tell about a person that was among the hypocrites (and about all such persons who ask Allah for personal benefits taking an oath by the name of Allah that they would then remain one of the most charitable and one of the most virtuous persons but they do otherwise); this hypocrite person was TAHLIBA Ibn HATIB who asked the Prophet PBUH to make DUA for him to get huge amounts of money and swore by the name of Allah in front of the Prophet PBUH that he would remain one of the most charitable and virtuous persons afterwards; the Prophet PBUH told him not to put himself into such examination but he did not listen and persisted; the Prophet PBUH ultimately made DUA for him and soon he became one of the richest persons in Madinah with huge quantity of land just outside Madinah that had huge number of cattle there; he became oblivious of the Islamic commands and even became lazy to read SALAH that he used to read before though he was among the hypocrites and with that, he became extremely worldly and niggardly; so with the absence of SALAH, he became uncaring to AKHIRAT and with the absence of SADAQAH (amounts given in charity in which the most important is ZAKAH), he became totally attached to the worldly matters; Allah tells in AAYAT-77 & 78 about all such persons that Allah put hypocrisy as the consequence into their hearts till the day (of Judgment) when they shall meet Him because they lied even when they had promised in front of the Prophet PBUH that their intentions are most righteous; this means that they would never receive the good TOFIQ to repent and to become true Muslims, so that is to remain their worldly punishment and as Allah knows their hidden thoughts and their secret counsels, He would certainly punish them most severely even at AKHIRAT; note that TOFIQ means the effect of deeds that the good deeds bring more of them and the evil deeds bring more of them; among these hypocrites, there are such persons who blame the good Muslims who give huge amounts in SADAQAH (that was collected for the expedition of TABUK) calling them as show-off and the good Muslims who only have some small amounts to give into SADAQAH that they had earned by extreme labor mocking them as miserly and useless; note that one of SAHABA (the companions of the Prophet PBUH) by the name of ABU-AQIL-RA worked hard to earn some amounts of dates in return for it and gave half of it into the SADAQAH for TABUK; when the hypocrites mocked at this SADAQAH that the Muslims would win the war against the Roman Empire by this amount of SADAQAH, the Prophet PBUH asked the true Muslims to spread those dates all over the SADAQAH that was received then telling them that certainly these dates would bring the blessing of Allah to all of it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah does mock the hypocrites because He certainly would provide them most grievous punishment at their worldly lives and even at AKHIRAT; the last AAYAT of the RUKU tells the Prophet that even if he asks forgiveness for the hypocrites seventy times, Allah would not forgive them; as the words did not forbid him explicitly, the Prophet PBUH did ask Allah to forgive ABDULLAH ibn UBAYYE (who was the foremost character among the hypocrites) and even gave one of the KAMEEZ that he used to wear, as the wrapper to the body of that hypocrite when he died at Madinah so the AAYAT-84 at the next Ruku forbade him to ask for their forgiveness most explicitly; note that even with such care of the Prophet PBUH to one of the hypocrites due to the leniency in his good nature, that hypocrite still would be severely punished at AKHIRAT so it is the true Belief and the good deeds according to it (and that surely includes the obedience to the Prophet PBUH too) that count as that truly leads to TAQWA to Allah (the inner direction towards Allah) and that certainly is important at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Eleventh Ruku
81. Those that were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah's Apostle and they were averse from striving in Allah's way with their property and their persons, and said: Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat - Would that they understood.
82. Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much as a recompense for what they earned.
83. Therefore if Allah brings you back to a party of them, and then they ask your permission to go forth, say: By no means shall you ever go forth with me and by no means shall you fight an enemy with me; surely you chose to sit the first time, therefore sit (now) with those who remain behind.
84. And never offer prayer for any one of them who dies and do not stand by his grave; surely they disbelieve in Allah and His Apostle and they shall die in transgression.
85. And let not their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes to chastise them with these in this world and (that) their souls may depart while they are disbelievers.
86. And whenever a chapter is revealed, saying: Believe in Allah and strive hard along with His Apostle, those having ampleness of means ask permission of you and say: Leave us (behind), that we may be with those who sit.
87. They preferred to be with those who remained behind, and a seal is set on their hearts so they do not understand.
88. But the Apostle and those who believe with him strive hard with their property and their persons; and these it is who shall have the good things and these it is who shall be successful.
89. Allah has prepared for them gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them; that is the great achievement.
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The Ruku continues telling about the hypocrites and in the last couple of AAYAAT, it tells in contrast, about the blessing that the true believers receive from Allah; the first AAYAT of the Ruku tells that they are pleased to stay behind the Prophet PBUH and they detest to make JEHAD (in the meaning of QITAL) with their property and their persons in the way of Allah and even tell others not to leave Madinah for the expedition of TABUK in such high temperature of heat; tell them O Prophet PBUH that the heat of the hell-fire is even more high in temperature; only if they could understand what troubles they are putting their-selves into; the hypocrites think that the avoidance of JEHAD is better for them yet the Muslims must remain aware that the total absence of JEHAD would lead to their annihilation as there are such evil persons at the world who have given themselves to the Satan in such manner that he leads them to abuse their extreme worldly power against all good morality to consolidate their own evils of morality upon which he already has brought them; the better thing for the hypocrites is that they come to Islam and fight such evil power without any care to consequence and Allah would provide them all the safety at the world and the true success at AKHIRAT; if they do not come to Islam, then let them laugh all they like at the worldly life for they have to weep many times more when they would get their punishment at AKHIRAT; that surely would be the due consequence of all their doings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so O Prophet PBUH, if Allah brings you back to any party of them which asks your permission to go forth at any JEHAD, tell them most clearly that by no means shall they ever attend any JEHAD with you and by no means shall they ever fight the enemy with you; surely they had chosen to sit the first time at the most crucial time of TABUK, therefore they would stay behind now with those who remain behind at wars (that are the women, the children, the disabled persons); AAYAT-84 asks the Prophet PBUH never to make DUA to Allah (plea to Allah) for the forgiveness of hypocrites and never attend their burial; this tells that his attendance would lead the Muslims to take such persons as worthy of some esteem and that also tells that they do receive some of their punishment just as they are buried; the reason is that they had actually disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and they died in that extreme sinful state; AAYAT-85 is like AAYAT-55 of TAUBAH that we studied at its seventh Ruku so the note there suffices that Allah intends to punish them in the worldly life as their obsession to amass wealth would keep them oblivious to AKHIRAT and as their sons would be such disobedient unworthy heirs to them that instead of providing any worldly gains, they would provide only losses to them and that would keep them in grief; Allah intends them to remain in these troubles that seize them until their death gets hold of them; it would happen that if they could remove their most heavy burden of engagement to amass wealth and if they could stop their sons from inflicting any losses to them, by getting some shelter even if that be some cave or be some place safe to enter then they would have rushed hastily to it; the AAYAT ahead tells that whenever any Surah descends that asks to believe in Allah and to take-up JEHAD with His Prophet PBUH, those hypocrites that have resources to attend it, ask the Prophet PBUH their leave from it and ask with no remorse to let them stay behind with those that stay behind; they are pleased to stay with the women at homes and such seal is put on their hearts that does not let them understand the Truth as it is; but the Prophet PBUH and the true Muslims with him do take-up JEHAD by their properties and by their persons so for them are all of goodness; they certainly are the successful persons as the true success is of AKHIRAT only; it comes by the recognition of the only aim of life that is to worship Allah truly with total obedience to Him when the good person keeps to it in his good belief and in all his good deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah has prepared for all the true believers JANNAAT (the most beautiful gardens) beneath which flow the beautiful streams and that certainly is the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-81 of TAUBAH
It is significant that the Quran uses the terms according to their meanings yet in the context, they express their meanings by different manners and all these meanings are totally valid by Arabic; I, MSD, would insha-Allah provide how some word relates to its different meanings at the Quran yet with the advise to all those who study this Tafsiri-Guide to read my writing “the Expressions of Quran” too which also presents the different aspects by which the Quran provides its beautiful message at different places; here we see that the term JEHAD applies to the combat with the disbelievers while at AAYAT-73, it applies to striving hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites; it is used at both places in the meanings that ask the Muslims for practice; there are three sets of significant words at the Quran that are near in meaning to each other; these are Muslim and MOMEN (the Muslim and the true Muslim), QITAL and JEHAD (physical combat against the disbelievers and utmost physical/spiritual efforts against the disbelief), NABI and RASUL (the Prophet and the Messenger of Allah; the notable thing here is that Allah sends His Messenger to some specific nation); note also that the second term of all these words includes the first respective term at its fold so it is more significant than the first; it is possible that any of the terms in these sets is taken for its respective companion word wherever the text permits that and this needs good insight; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that in Surah YOUSUF (Joseph), there are the same words that occur by the literal sense and at other places in the same Surah, they have the specific meanings (and these specific meanings are the righteous meanings that agree with Islam); for the clarification of this statement, I, MSD, would give the example from Surah YOUSUF where the literal meanings of these important words are connected to Egyptians while the specific meanings guide towards the righteousness; these include the word RASUL (means the messenger in literal sense and it denotes any of the Messengers of Allah specifically); AAYAAT (means the signs in the literal sense and it denotes the signs/miracles of Allah specifically, and AAYAAT are also the verses of the Quran specifically); DEEN (means the practical system of life in the literal sense and it denotes Islam that is the righteous DEEN i.e. the righteous system of life to practice specifically); RABB (of any person - means the owner of that slave-person in the literal sense and it denotes Allah, the true Lord, specifically); consider AAYAT-50 and AAYAT-110 where AAYAT-50 reads, “And the king said - bring him unto me - and when the messenger (in the literal sense) came unto him, he (Joseph) said - return unto your RABB (in the literal sense) and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands - my RABB (i.e. Allah, the true Lord) knows their guile” and AAYAT-110 reads, “until when the Messengers (in the specific meaning) despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, Our help came to them and whom We pleased was delivered; and Our punishment is not averted from the guilty people”; consider AAYAT-35 and AAYAT-1 where AAYAT-35 reads, “then it occurred to them after they had seen the AAYAAT (in the literal sense) that they should imprison him till a time” and AAYAT-1 reads, “Alif-Lam-Ra - these are the AAYAAT (in the specific meaning) of the Book that makes (things) manifest”; consider AAYAT-76 and AAYAT-40 where AAYAT-76 reads, “so he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother's sack; thus did We plan for the sake of Yusuf; it was not (lawful) that he should take his brother under the DEEN (in the literal sense) of king unless Allah pleased; We raise the degrees of whomsoever We please, and above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-knowing one” and AAYAT-40 (where Yusuf-AS speaks to his mates at the jail for TABLIGH) reads, “you do not serve besides Allah but names which you have named, you and your fathers - Allah has not sent down any authority for them; judgment is only by Allah; He has commanded that you shall not serve aught but Him; this is the righteous DEEN (in the specific meaning) but most people do not know”; consider AAYAT-50 that reads, “And the king said - bring him unto me - and when the messenger (in the literal sense) came unto him, he (Joseph) said - return unto your RABB (in the literal sense) and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands - my RABB (i.e. Allah, the true Lord) knows their guile” so this single AAYAT has the term in both the literal sense and in the specific meaning; it actually implies that the JINN and the mankind, the two of the creation of Allah that only have the free-will, must obey Allah in all walks of life for He truly is their RABB; Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN; note that YAUMUD-DEEN as it comes at Surah FATIHA, is the day when the true system of life that Allah has set for the mankind (and even the JINN) would manifest i.e. the Day of Judgment that is the first day of AKHIRAT which is of one thousand years by our count and in it, every person would receive that to which he had worked at the worldly life; there are other words too that have high significance in understanding of the Quran that have been used in different of its good meanings at different places that especially include KITAB (i.e. Book and it means at places the Quran and even Torah and even the LOHE-MAHFUZ i.e. the book of Allah that have all things written in it; it also means the commands of Allah and even the Surah in which the word is placed and this tells that the context for it and for other such significant words is most important in getting the meaning of the word) and also include WAHI (the revelation that Allah provides to the Messengers whereas it also means some natural direction that He puts inside any of His creation); due to the difference in meanings by the context, the Muslim person who takes-up TAFSIR must have the awareness of how the ancient good students and the recent good students of TAFSIR have interpreted AAYAAT that have such words; please note that even the text of the Quran has utmost significance in getting to its message so when the Muslim person (who has studied Islam with fervor) takes-up TAFSIR, he would have total attention towards Allah and he would ask for mercy from Him before he asks for any blessing from Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Twelfth Ruku
90. And the defaulters from among the dwellers of the desert came that permission may be given to them and they sat (at home) who lied to Allah and His Apostle; a painful chastisement shall afflict those of them who disbelieved.
91. It shall be no crime in the weak, nor in the sick, nor in those who do not find what they should spend (to stay behind), so long as they are sincere to Allah and His Apostle; there is no way (to blame) against the doers of good; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful;
92. Nor in those who when they came to you that you might carry them, you said: I cannot find that on which to carry you; they went back while their eyes overflowed with tears on account of grief for not finding that which they should spend.
93. The way (to blame) is only against those who ask permission of you though they are rich; they have chosen to be with those who remained behind, and Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they do not know.
94. They will excuse themselves to you when you go back to them. Say: Urge no excuse, by no means will we believe you; indeed Allah has informed us of matters relating to you; and now Allah and His Apostle will see your doings, then you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.
95. They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them so that you may turn aside from them; so do turn aside from them; surely they are unclean and their abode is hell; a recompense for what they earned.
96. They will swear to you that you may be pleased with them; but if you are pleased with them, yet surely Allah is not pleased with the transgressing people.
97. The dwellers of the desert are very hard in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more disposed not to know the limits of what Allah has revealed to His Apostle; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
98. And of the dwellers of the desert are those who take what they spend to be a fine, and they wait (the befalling of) calamities to you; on them (will be) the evil calamity; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
99. And of the dwellers of the desert are those who believe in Allah and the latter day and take what they spend to be (means of) the nearness of Allah and the Apostle's prayers; surely it shall be means of nearness for them; Allah will make them enter into His mercy; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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The Ruku is mostly related to the dwellers of the desert at Arabia who also were asked to join the expedition of TABUK; the opening AAYAT of the Ruku states that many of them came to Madinah to ask the Prophet PBUH for leave from the expedition; it tells that those who had spoken lies to get the leave would receive most severe punishment in the worldly life and at AKHIRAT if they remain to disbelief till their deaths; however, there is no blame to those who really are weak and to the invalid and to such persons among them who really do not have the proper resources for the expedition when they are most sincere to Allah and His Messenger PBUH; there would be no blame on those who truly are virtuous Muslims; and Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; there is no blame even upon those who come to you O Prophet PBUH so that you may provide them some animal to ride for this long route and you tell them that there is nothing of that sort with me; so they turn away with tears in their eyes due to agony that they do not have this much even, to spare on JEHAD at this crucial time; the blame is upon those who have the resources and they still ask the Prophet PBUH for leave from TABUK; they are pleased to stay with the women at homes and Allah has sealed their hearts so they do not understand the Truth and so they do not get to know the consequence of this avoidance at their worldly lives and at AKHIRAT; in the dwellers of the desert, there are two groups so among them are such persons who would swear to you O Prophet PBUH, as you return to them, on their excuses so tell them that the Muslims would not accept their lame excuses as Allah has informed the Muslims (through the Prophet PBUH) all about them; so now Allah would see their deeds and the Prophet would too (till the time he is at the world) and if they do develop some sincerity to Allah and His Prophet PBUH, then as they are returned to Allah Who is the Knower of all the unseen and all the seen, He would tell them of all their doings there at AKHIRAT; and among them are such persons too who would very soon swear to you O Prophet PBUH, as you return to them so that you ignore them on their wrong-doing; they are fully conscious that they would be asked upon the wrong that they had committed (by not participating in TABUK) so ignore them as they are impure inside and their abode is the hell-fire; that is the worthy return for them to what wrongs they had earned; they would swear because they intend that all you Muslims remain pleased with them but even if you do, Allah is not pleased with such sinful persons; they should have tried to please Allah rather than any other and so He would punish them severely; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-97 states that “the dwellers of the desert (that disbelieve) are very hard in disbelief and hypocrisy (as they take the deeds that are easy to them or beneficial to their worldly lives but leave the hard ones), and more disposed not to know the limits of what Allah has revealed to His Apostle (so they do not understand the integrity of the commands of Allah); and Allah is Knowing (of all that is at their insides), Wise (so He gives them space to better themselves or to lose all the chance to their safety)”; the last couple of AAYAAT here tell again about the different dwellers of the desert so among them are those who take what they spend as some fine (i.e. stressful duty) to pay , and they await calamities to come to the Muslims (so that they would become free of payments); on them is the evil calamity (as the detestation they have for the Muslims keeps them tense); and Allah is Most Hearing (of their secret consultations) and Knowing (of their insides); among them are such good persons too who believe in Allah and AKHIRAT and they spend whatever is possible for them to get the nearness of Allah by DUA (plea to Allah) that the Prophet PBUH makes for them; it shall become the means of nearness to Allah for them and Allah would make them enter into His mercy; surely Allah is Forgiving (of their wrongs by their lack of knowledge) and Merciful (so He would provide them space to better themselves by their good deeds to compensate for their wrongs); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Thirteenth Ruku
100. And (as for) the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansaars, and those who followed them in goodness, Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them for ever; that is the mighty achievement.
101. And from among those who are round about you of the dwellers of the desert there are hypocrites, and from among the people of Medina (also); they are stubborn in hypocrisy; you do not know them; We know them; We will chastise them twice then shall they be turned back to a grievous chastisement
102. And others have confessed their faults, they have mingled a good deed and an evil one; may be Allah will turn to them (mercifully); surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
103. Take alms out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby, and pray for them; surely your prayer is a relief to them; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
104. Do they not know that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms, and that Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful?
105. And say: Work; so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Apostle and the believers; and you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.
106. And others are made to await Allah's command, whether He chastise them or whether He turn to them (mercifully), and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
107. And those who built a MASJID to cause harm and for disbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Apostle before; and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars.
108. Never stand in it; certainly a MASJID founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are men who love that they should be purified; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
109. Is he, therefore, better who lays his foundation on fear of Allah and (His) good pleasure, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the fire of hell; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
110. The building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of disquiet in their hearts, except that their hearts get cut into pieces; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
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The first AAYAT of the RUKU tells the virtues of SAHABA (the companions of the Prophet PBUH) that were those who comprised of MUHAJIR and ANSAAR; they had come early to Islam and so they were among the foremost of the Muslims; note that the MUHAJIR were those who migrated to Madinah from Makkah while ANSAAR were the basic residents of Madinah; Hijrah (migration) to Madinah was necessary for the Muslims but after their conquest of Makkah at the 8th year of Hijrah, it did not remain necessary on them; the AAYAT also tells them as virtuous who followed these foremost among SAHABA, that came to Islam later on yet showed high sincerity to it and it also tells that Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him; and He has prepared for them JANNAAT beneath which flow the beautiful streams, to abide in them for ever so that certainly is the most prominent success; the AAYAAT ahead tell more about the different hypocrites; they tell that among those dwellers of the desert that live near to Madinah, there are hypocrites, and from among the people of Medina (also); they are most stubborn in their hypocrisy yet even you O Prophet PBUH, do not know them but Allah knows them and He will chastise them twice (that would be at their worldly lives and at their lives that relates to their graves); note that Ahadith have explicitly told about the peace or the chastisement at the life that relates to the grave yet seemingly the chastisement there is much long in time for the few most wrong persons by the will of Allah but very short in time for others by the will of Allah so after that, they would remain dead only, till the day when Allah would raise all persons from dead (i.e. the Day of Judgment) and the most sinful persons among the hypocrites would then receive the most grievous chastisement at AKHIRAT; consider MOMEN-46 that reads, “they (Pharaoh and his people) shall be brought before the fire (every) morning and evening and on the day when the hour shall come to pass, (Allah would command to) make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest chastisement”; note that the persons at extreme peace would receive their reward of tranquility at their lives that relate to the grave seemingly for some of time as Allah wills and then they would remain at the sleep of the dead as Ahadith are explicit on that too, till the Day of Judgment; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead says that there are still others of hypocrites who have confessed their faults, they have mingled a good deed (that is they have repented truly on their absence from TABUK) and an evil one (that is the absence from TABUK); AAYAT-102 mentioned them in the good manner and that was taken as the acceptance of their asking for pardon as it says that surely Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful; the AAYAT ahead asks the Prophet PBUH to take alms out of their property and cleanse them of sins that they have done in the past and then purify them from the base worldly desires so that they remain the righteous Muslims thereby, and make DUA for them as Allah only has all true authority; surely your DUA is relief to them as they come truly to Islam; and Allah certainly is Most Hearing (of their repentance) and Most Knowing (of their hearts); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-104 tells that Allah accepts repentance from His servants when they are truly remorseful and takes the alms from them so that they learn to spend in the way of Allah and keep away from the base desires by the development of benevolence in them, and that Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy) and Merciful; and O Prophet PBUH, tell them to gather the good deeds so Allah will see their work and (so will) His Prophet PBUH and even the believers; and they all would be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen at the Day of Judgment so they should never incline towards hypocrisy but remain truly the good Muslims, then He will certainly inform all of them, whatever they used to do; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand AAYAT-106, note there were three other men besides those whom the previous AAYAT mentioned, who were among the Muslims but they had not gone at the expedition of TABUK due to their slackness and they had also accepted their wrong clearly; due to this absence from TABUK, this AAYAT cites them in mentioning the hypocrites to whom the Muslims took-up the social boycott on the command of the Prophet PBUH until some clear indication comes from Allah; this AAYAT reads, “and others are made to await Allah's command, whether He chastise them or whether He turn to them (mercifully), and Allah is Knowing, Wise”; the repentance of these three was accepted after fifty trying days for them that our study would read at the last of the next Ruku insha-Allah; the last four AAYAAT from 107 to 110 tell about the MASJID that the stubborn hypocrites had built (it was named as DHIRAR i.e. it was established by the intention to harm the Muslims by making it the base for the hypocrites) so whereas Allah provided mercy to the previous persons that did not attend TABUK yet they were truly repentant on that, He told about these extremely sinful hypocrites that they would not remain at peace even at the world (and they would undoubtedly be the extreme losers at AKHIRAT); note that there were two tribes AUS and KHAZRAJ at Madinah that had extreme enmity among them and used to fight each other fiercely on petty issues; when Islam came to Madinah, they both accepted Islam and renounced their differences and they were named together as ANSAAR (i.e. helpful persons as they helped intently the MUHAJIR that came from Makkah); there was a monk there at Madinah who was named ABU-AMIR RAHIB who basically belonged to the tribe of KHAZRAJ yet he had taken up Christianity; he was held in high esteem by the KHAZRAJ and even AUS but with Islam getting hold there, he left Madinah and went to Makkah as he had extreme hatred for Islam; after HUNAYN, when the Muslims had established themselves in Arabia securely, he went away to Syria and it was on his advise from there that the hypocrites built MASJID-DHIRAR; the AAYAAT read, “and those who built the MASJID to cause harm and for disbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Apostle before (i.e. ABU-AMIR); and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars; (O Prophet PBUH), you shall never stand in it (for SALAH); certainly the MASJID founded on piety from the very first day (i.e. MASJID at QUBA, the place where the Prophet PBUH had stayed temporarily when he had come to Madinah at Hijrah) is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are such men who love that they remain most clean (and Ahadith have mentioned in Tafsir to this that they cared highly for cleanliness after attending the call of nature); and Allah appreciates those who cleanse themselves; is he, therefore, better who lays his foundation on TAQWA to Allah and (His) good pleasure, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the hell-fire (so building of DHIRAR would undoubtedly lead the hypocrites to the hell-fire); and Allah does not guide the unjust people; this building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of anxiety in their hearts, except that their hearts get cut into pieces (i.e. up-to their deaths because of all their anxieties and at AKHIRAT, they would see what extreme anguish they have taken upon themselves); and Allah is Knowing (of their actual intentions) and Most Wise (so He directs the matters in such manner that they do not remain adverse to Islam)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; after Allah told about DHIRAR to the Prophet PBUH, he did not go there (though the hypocrites intended that he comes there after TABUK to read SALAH so that they may present it as some blessed place to the Muslims); he sent some of his SAHABA to demolish it and they burnt it down so the bad intention of the hypocrites only brought extreme infamy to them and it did not cause any harm to the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fourteenth Ruku
111. Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the INJIL and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement.
112. They who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers.
113. It is not (fit) for the Prophet and those who believe that they should ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even though they should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are inmates of the flaming fire.
114. And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his sire was only owing to a promise which he had made to him; but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted, forbearing.
115. It is not (attributable to) Allah that He should lead a people astray after He has guided them; He even makes clear to them what they should guard against; surely Allah knows all things.
116. Surely Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He brings to life and causes to die; and there is not for you besides Allah any Guardian or Helper.
117. Certainly Allah has turned (mercifully) to the Prophet and those who fled (their homes) and the helpers who followed him in the hour of strait after the hearts of a part of them were about to deviate, then He turned to them (mercifully); surely to them He is Compassionate, Merciful.
118. And to the three who were left behind, until the earth became strait to them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls were also straitened to them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him); surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about the true Muslims and the next tells about their most significant traits; so the previous Ruku opened by noting the virtues of SAHABA among the true Muslims and here the opening AAYAT notes the virtues of the true Muslims in general; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it tells that Allah has purchased the persons and the properties of the true Muslims for the return of JANNAH to them; they fight in the way of Allah and they slay and get slain at the battlefield and though it is the credit transaction yet they would certainly get the return; it is the true word of Allah that He has provided in Torah and INJIL and the Quran, and who is more faithful to his commitment than Allah; so the Muslims would rejoice on the transaction that they have settled with Allah as that certainly is the most prominent success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT introduces the true Muslims as “they who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who keep away from base desires (particularly by fasting), who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah”; the first of them tells that for the true Muslims, the foremost of these traits is that they repent on their sins totally; then they surrender completely to Allah and accept Islam by heart; then they keep to praising Allah at all times and at all places by their words; then they care not to give-in to their base desires; then they keep their SALAH intact by the particular care to Ruku (i.e. the bowing down in it); and by the particular care to SAJDAH (the prostration in it); then they care to enjoin the righteousness and to forbid what is evil; then they care to remain firm to Islam in their belief and in all their good deeds; so these are the traits that bring them to the status of the true Muslims; the AAYAT says at the last of it - O Prophet PBUH – give the good tidings to the true Muslims that they certainly would receive JANNAH at AKHIRAT; Allah would certainly keep His word and He certainly has all the true authority; A-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells the Prophet PBUH that he would not make DUA for the forgiveness of the polytheists even if they are his near relatives after it is clear to him that they are the inmates of the hell-fire; after this direction, Allah tells about Abraham-AS that though he had made DUA for the forgiveness of his father yet it was because he had promised him that he would pray to Allah for that (see MUMTAHINA-4); but as he understood that his father certainly is the enemy to Allah (as he died on the disbelief), he stopped asking for his forgiveness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells about Abraham that he was very soft and much forbearing by nature; note that at the life of the disbeliever, it is fine to ask Allah that He guides him towards the right path but when he dies upon the disbelief, it is disallowed to ask Allah for his forgiveness; so Allah commanded the Prophet PBUH neither to ask Allah for the forgiveness for the hypocrites (AAYAT-84) nor for the polytheists (AAYAT-113); note also that some of his near-relatives had died in the state of disbelief and even though he also was soft by nature, he did not ever pray to Allah for their forgiveness; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah does not misguide any nation whom He has provided the true guidance by His will, until He clarifies all such things to them which they would avoid; then if they disobey, Allah gives them the punishment as He wills as He certainly knows all things; Allah certainly has the true authority over all the heavens and the earth and He truly gives life and death; no-one besides Him is the true Guardian and the true Helper to the Muslims so the Muslims would not fear anyone and do their tasks according to Islam with total trust upon Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-117 reads that “certainly Allah has turned (mercifully) to the Prophet and the MUHAJIRIN and the ANSAAR who followed him in the most trying times (after Hijrah and especially of TABUK) after the hearts of some of them were about to deviate (due to such trials though they did continue the expedition without complaints), then He turned to all of them (mercifully); surely to them He is Most Kind and Most Merciful”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the acceptance of TAUBAH (the repentance) of the three persons that had remained behind TABUK due to slackness and they were not hypocrites though absence from it at that time was considered as hypocrisy; the AAYAT reads, “and to the three who were left behind (and it also means the matter of whom was left to decide), until the earth narrowed upon them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls also narrowed upon them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him) with repentance; surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that these three were KA’AB ibn MAALIK, HILAL ibn UMAYYAH and MURARA ibn RABI and KA’AB has provided his narrative of that time that is recorded at Bukhari, the most authentic book of Ahadith; the salient features to it is that KA’AB had not departed when the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA had left for TABUK with the thought that he had got the fast ride that would get to the procession towards TABUK en-route; it happened that he slacked so much that one of those days he realized that even if he takes one of his fastest rides, he would be unable to get to the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA now; he came to know that the Prophet PBUH had asked some of his companions about him at TABUK and one of them had replied that his inclination to leisure has let him down but MUAZ ibn JABL, one of the prominent SAHABA, had defended him; now, as the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA returned from TABUK, the hypocrites came at MASJID-NABAWI and gave their excuses; these three also came but without giving any defense, they accepted their wrong; the Prophet PBUH asked the SAHABA not to speak to these three and not to keep any relations to them until Allah gives the verdict in their case; so it was their social boycott and KA’AB tells that it was the most troublesome time where no-one answered to his SALAM even, and his near relatives even did not speak to him; note that for the worldly reasons, the Muslims are disallowed to end relations for more than three days yet they are allowed to avoid relations to someone if they have the valid reason by Islam; KA’AB still read SALAH at the MASJID-NABAWI and noted that the Prophet PBUH observed him at times though when he saw him, he turned his view away; the extreme trouble came when the ruler of GHASSAN sent a letter to him that he was most concerned at his discredit at Madinah so he ought to come at GHASSAN where he would find his true worth; KA’AB was most upset that the situation has become such that the enemy is taking him vulnerable to it and is thinking that he would give-in to this situation; he burnt the letter and ended the matter then and there; even more trouble was his thought that if he dies at this time, the Muslims might not read his funeral-SALAH to ask Allah for his forgiveness; it was after fifty days that AAYAT-118 descended upon the Prophet PBUH near to FAJR that mentioned that Allah has accepted the TAUBAH (repentance) of the three; two persons ran after FAJR, one riding and one on the foot, to tell him the good news in whom the one at foot ascended a hillock and screamed out from there that “O KA’AB – get the good news”; this call reached KA’AB even before the rider and he immediately prostrated to Allah to show his gratitude to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; as he came to the MASJID, everyone greeted him and all there were pleased at the acceptance of TAUBAH of the three; KA’AB took the oath at the time that he would never speak any lies whatever comes as speaking of the truth had given him the respect among his colleagues and had saved him from the punishment of AKHIRAT; he fulfilled the demands of his oath well till the last of his life; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fifteenth Ruku
119. O you who believe - be careful of (your duty to) Allah and be with the true ones.
120. It did not beseem the people of Medina and those round about them of the dwellers of the desert to remain behind the Apostle of Allah, nor should they desire (anything) for themselves in preference to him; this is because there afflicts them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in Allah's way, nor do they tread a path which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they attain from the enemy what they attain, but a good work is written down to them on account of it; surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good;
121. Nor do they spend anything that may be spent, small or big, nor do they traverse a valley, but it is written down to their credit, that Allah may reward them with the best of what they have done.
122. And it does not beseem the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?
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The first AAYAT states an important thing that to achieve TAQWA to Allah, it is most necessary that the Muslim person is most truthful; it was the truth that saved the three of the repentant SAHABA though they had to bear some difficult times yet Allah accepted their TAUBAH; note that the hypocrites were extreme liars so the AAYAT implies that those who have accepted Islam truly, they would never tell lies to avoid the trial they must face so they would remain true to Islam even at the most trying times to them as lying is the trait of the hypocrites and not of the Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next couple of AAYAAT tell the significance of TABUK that whatever troubles, small or big, that the Muslims bore in that expedition led them to the highest of virtues; the AAYAAT read that “it was not proper for the people of Madinah and those round about them of the dwellers of the desert to remain behind the Apostle of Allah, nor should they desire (anything) for themselves in preference to him; this is because there afflicts them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in Allah's way, nor do they tread a path which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they attain from the enemy what they attain, but a good work is written down to them on account of it; surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of the good”; “nor do they spend anything that may be spent, small or great, nor do they traverse a valley, but it is written down to their credit, that Allah may reward them with the best of what they have done”; this was the crucial battle where each and every able Muslim of Madinah and even nearby, had to challenge the enemy head-on and at that time, the situation had turned into such issue that asked the Muslims necessarily to save the teachings of Islam without any care to their lives and to their properties; Al-Hamdu Lillah; however, there was some chance for the Muslims to consider that the ruling about TABUK tells that Allah asks all of the Muslims able to fight at the vicinity of any battle to necessarily take-up the combat against the disbelievers so the last AAYAT of the Ruku states explicitly that it is not proper for the true Muslims that all of them leave to challenge the disbelievers at the battlefield so the better thing is that some from them from each of the different localities go forth to challenge the disbelievers while the others of them study Islam so that they keep the Islamic teachings intact for practice, as for the defense of these only that the true Muslims challenge the disbelievers; the AAYAT reads, “and it is not proper for the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?”; note that to fight against the challengers to Islam (QITAL) and to study the Islamic teachings well by all aspects to make its practice most easy (Islamic TA’LIM and TABLIGH), both of these are obligatory upon the significant number of the true Muslims for each of them respectively so that it suffices; so the true Muslims fulfill together the demands of the Islamic living by taking up both these matters that relate to the defense of Islam from the enemy that challenges the true Muslims by the physical force and that relate to its defense from the enemy that challenges them by the unjust reasoning with all their care only to the worldly issues; most certainly, each of them relate to JEHAD for the true Muslims and each of them expresses most clearly that Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Last Ruku
123. O you who believe - fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
124. And whenever a Surah is revealed, there are some of them who say: Which of you has it strengthened in faith? Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice.
125. And as for those in whose hearts is disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness and they die while they are disbelievers.
126. Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year, yet they neither turn (to Allah), nor do they become mindful.
127. And whenever a Surah is revealed, they cast glances at one another: Does anyone see you? Then they turn away: Allah has turned away their hearts because they are a people who do not understand.
128. Certainly, there has come unto you the Apostle from amongst yourselves; it grieves him that you should perish; ardently anxious is he over you; to the Believers is he most kind and merciful.
129. But if they turn back, say: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no god but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of the tremendous Throne.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku commands the Muslims to fight those disbelievers that are near to them in distance; note that at the battle in defense, the Muslims that are attacked by the disbelievers, would respond to their challenge with all the might they have; afterwards if they are not enough to answer them good, other of the Muslims nearby would join them to strengthen their power and if needed, then still others nearby would join the battle against the disbelievers that had challenged the Muslims; however, in the warfare at the current times, it certainly is moot point if the Muslims nearby to the battle need to join the battlefield and the better thing is that both the sides at the combat strike the most reasonable peace treaty as soon as possible; as for the QITAL that the Muslims take-up in attack upon the disbelievers, note that it needs conditions that we have seen at our study before (please see the note at 26th Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); AAYAAT-124 & 125 tell about the hypocrites that when the AAYAAT descend, they speak of them mockingly; Allah states their adverse remark and then answers them too; the AAYAAT tell that “and whenever a Surah is revealed, there are some of them who say -which of you has it strengthened in faith? -then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice; and as for those in whose hearts is disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness (inside; that is their disbelief) and they die while they are disbelievers”; so it is because of the disbelief of the hypocrites that they do not get any strength by the AAYAAT but the true believers do find strength in them as the AAYAAT make their study of Islam much better and even their practice upon Islam much better; note that the second AAYAT of ANFAAL reads, “those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them, they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-126 points out that though they see this clearly by their eyes that each year, they are tried by some calamity or other once or twice yet they do not care to see by the spiritual insight that it is Allah Who is trying them; they actually are not prepared to give any attention to Him and in fact, they do not even try to realize that the calamities affect them because of their lack of the spiritual insight and that actually is the reason that Allah tries them in this demanding manner; AAYAT-127 tells their attitude at the gathering at the MASJID where the SAHABA sat to learn Islam from the Prophet PBUH; they look at each other when some Surah (especially the AAYAAT of TAUBAH) descends at the Prophet PBUH about what attitude they should take; so by their gestures, they leave the place unnoticed to plan more of their strategy against the Muslims; their negativity does not let them hear anything of Islam so that they might see what it has to provide to the mankind; Allah tells all of the mankind at AAYAT-128 that “there has come unto you the Messenger from amongst yourselves; it grieves him that you should perish; ardently anxious is he over you; to the Believers is he most kind and merciful”; what an idiocy of hypocrites that they turn away from this blessed gathering of the Prophet PBUH where they might have learned about Islam much and might have accepted its message; note that the words RA’UF (most kind) and RAHIM (most merciful) have been used as attributes to the Prophet PBUH in this AAYAT and the Quran has also used these words to denote the attributes of Allah but they certainly have significant difference; when they are mentioned for Allah, they tell that all His attributes are of Him from all times to all times (QADEEM) and all His attributes are His very own (ASL) and all His attributes are limitless (LA-MEHDUD); however, for the Prophet PBUH, though they tell about his most virtuous nature, Allah provided these attributes to him as bound by time and as much as He willed and as limited as He intended in their application; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT reads, “but if they (i.e. the hypocrites) turn back, say- Allah is sufficient for me (to save me), there is no god but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of ARSH-AZEEM (the tremendous Throne)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT mentions “the tremendous Throne” that is among those terms at the Quran for which we all would only say in clear terms that “we do believe and Allah knows better” so here also we must say it and praise Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells explicitly that if the hypocrites still want to turn away from hearing any of the Islamic teachings then O Prophet PBUH, tell them that Allah would save His Prophet PBUH from all their negative plans and from all their negative efforts and He certainly has all the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
www.saleemdada.weebly.com
Here our study of TAUBAH and “Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” (First Part) ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah - may Allah provide His mercy and His blessing to me on this effort to get His pleasure and to all those who study it well; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Friday - 1:40 PM
RABI-THANI-01, 1441
November-29, 2019
www.m-saleemdada.com/
Surah ANFAAL
(Consists of 10 Ruku; H-2)
ANFAAL-The First Ruku
1. They ask you about the windfalls (ANFAAL). Say: The windfalls are for Allah and the Apostle. So be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Apostle if you are believers.
2. Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust.
3. Those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.
4. These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance.
5. Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse;
6. They disputed with you about the truth after it had become clear, (and they went forth) as if they were being driven to death while they saw (it).
7. And when Allah promised you one of the two parties that it shall be yours and you loved that the one not armed should he yours and Allah desired to manifest the truth of what was true by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers.
8. That He may manifest the truth as the truth and show the falsehood as the false, though the guilty disliked.
9. When you sought aid from your Lord, so He answered you: I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another.
10. And Allah only gave it as the good news and that your hearts might be at ease thereby; and victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
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This Surah commences by providing the ruling for ANFAAL (the spoils of war that the Muslims achieve by the war against the disbelievers); when the Muslims won the battle of BADR, there arose some disputes among the Muslim warriors about the distribution of spoils as this was the first real confrontation of the Muslims against the disbelievers while before this, the warrior used to take into his own custody whatever he received from the opponent he killed at the war; for this the first AAYAT descended that clarified upon the Muslims that they have no rights to ANFAAL (and the word GHANIMAT is also very near to this term while FAI is the term used for those spoils that the Muslims get without any war against the disbelievers) but Allah and His Messenger PBUH would decide for it; the practical ruling to apply for ANFAAL is given at AAYAT-41 of this Surah that we would study ahead insha-Allah; the AAYAT asks the Muslims in general for TAQWA to Allah and asks those Muslims that fell in disputes to better the attitude towards each other as it is AKHIRAT that they would have their attention to and not the worldly life; the three AAYAAT ahead tell the qualities of the true believers in Islam and they are addressed at the last of the Surah too; this settled the dispute well and all such Muslims who had some inclination towards the worldly gains in any manner revised their attitudes well; the notable thing here is that the whole of Surah ANFAAL is related to the battle of BADR that was the first disciplined confrontation between the Muslims and the disbelievers of Makkah that resulted due to couple of factors then; note that the Muslims at Madinah had made the trade of the disbelievers extremely difficult as this was the thing that had given them the strength to affect the tribes at Arabia adversely; one of their trade routes (to Syria) brought them much near to Madinah and that had become most unsafe and the other thing was that on the command of the Prophet PBUH, the Muslims were keeping watch over the disbelievers at Makkah; now, it happened that the Prophet PBUH had sent a few SAHABA (companions of the Prophet PBUH) to NAKHLA that was between Makkah and TA’IF where they had a confrontation with a few of disbelievers whom they challenged and the fight that occurred, resulted in the death of one of the disbelievers; SAHABA returned with the spoils and one of the disbelievers as prisoner; the Prophet PBUH did not appreciate this at that time as they were asked to keep away from any confrontation against the disbelievers yet it had been done; another thing that was even more notable as the reason for the disbelievers at Makkah to challenge the Muslims at BADR was that ABU-SUFYAN (one of the prominent figures at Makkah) was leading the trade caravan to Makkah returning from Syria with most high profits of transactions that they all have made there in which all the rich persons at Makkah had their share; the Prophet PBUH decided to intercept this returning caravan en-route but as ABU-SUFYAN got the information of this advance of Muslims, he changed route and passed by the area without any confrontation; however, he managed to send the message with some person that had one of the fastest of camels to Makkah where he gave the news of the advancement of the Muslims towards the caravan in the most adverse manner to the disbelievers there; the informant from NAKHLA also came there near to his arrival and there was a commotion at Makkah; they immediately gathered 1000 persons with necessary weapons that were able to fight with 100 horses (and hundreds of camels) and under the command of ABU-JAHL marched towards Madinah; at the place called SAFRA, the Prophet PBUH learnt that the force of disbelievers is advancing towards Madinah; Allah informed him that among these two (the caravan and the attacking force of Makkah), Allah would provide him and his companions victory over the one they would confront; the Prophet PBUH consulted the SAHABA and though some of them were reluctant to fight the force of Makkah (as they were not prepared for any battle when they left Madinah but had in mind that they had to challenge the caravan returning from Syria), the Prophet PBUH finally decided to face the force of Makkah head-on; at this consultation, there were among SAHABA such persons who told the Prophet PBUH that they would not leave him as Bani-Israel had told Moses-AS that Moses and his Lord go to fight and they would sit on at their place (see AAYAT-24 of MA’EDAH) while even the ANSAAR (the basic residents of Madinah) assured their total assistance too; it was the 17th day of Ramadan of 2nd year of Hijrah when the Muslims faced the disbelievers at BADR (about 140 Km Southwest from Madinah); the Muslims were most inadequately prepared by weapons at BADR to fight the disbelievers with only 313 persons with them against the 1000 men that had come with all preparation to fight them; but Allah turned all things in favor of the Muslims and they finally came out victorious of this confrontation with 70 of the disbelievers dead (including many of their chiefs particularly ABU-JAHL) and the same number of them falling in the custody of Muslims; the day of BADR was named as YAUMUL-FURQAN (the day that distinguished the Truth from all wrongs); from AAYAT-5 to AAYAT-19 (i.e. the last AAYAT of the second Ruku), the Quran narrates the scene prior to and at the battle of BADR; at the first Ruku, the six AAYAT ahead (from the fifth to the tenth) tell that Allah had decided to provide space to Muslims to spread the teachings of Islam and to live upon them well with such challenge only that does not become extreme hindrance to this task to stop it; the term used at AAYAT-5 is BIL-HAQQ (i.e. “with the Truth” and here it means the Fundamental Islamic teachings) so even when Allah led the Prophet PBUH out of his home at Madinah towards the disbelievers, He had decided for the Muslims to fight the disbelievers at BADR (as AAYAT-6 tells and AAYAT-7 also tells this by using the same term) and the AAYAT-8 tells by using the same term that He had decided for the Truth to reign upon the wrongs manifestly then; that is why He assisted the Muslims at BADR with angels and provided for such environment by the rain that Muslims were able to set their feet remaining steady at the ground they chose (while the ground that the opponents chose as their station became much wet); as such, the Muslims achieved the upper hand from the very beginning; keeping this all in view, we all would go on ahead with the finer study of Tafsir of Surah ANFAAL; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT from the fifth to the tenth provide that when some of the Muslims disputed with the Prophet PBUH about the Truth after it had become clear (that this would be so and though they went forth yet) as if they were being driven to death while they are seeing it; and when Allah promised the Muslims that one of the two parties (either the caravan or either the attacking force from Makkah) shall be theirs and the Muslims loved that the one not armed (i.e. the caravan) should be theirs but Allah intended to manifest the Truth as it is so that it becomes easy to grasp by His commands when they come in practice and to cut off the root of the disbelievers; note that this manifestation of the Truth practically came about in final terms when the AAYAT-3 of MA’EDAH declared to Muslims that - this day have I perfected your DEEN for you and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as DEEN al-Islam -; at BADR, the Prophet PBUH made intense DUA to Allah so He answered this DUA that He will assist the Muslims with a thousand of the angels following one another (against the force of a thousand persons of the disbelievers) and He gave it as good news (prior to the victory) and that the hearts of the Muslims might be at ease thereby (that they have already won the field); and the victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty (so He can check the power of the disbelievers no matter how invincible they take their-selves) and He is Most Wise (which means that He is shaping all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and it takes many years sometimes for us to see how things have turned much favorable for Islam practically); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Second Ruku
11. When He caused calm to fall on you as a security from Him and sent down upon you water from the cloud that He might thereby purify you, and take away from you the uncleanness of the Satan, and that He might fortify your hearts and steady (your) footsteps thereby.
12. When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.
13. This is because they acted adversely to Allah and His Apostle; and whoever acts adversely to Allah and His Apostle-- then surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
14. This-- taste it, and (know) that for the disbelievers is the chastisement of fire.
15. O you who believe - when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them.
16. And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day-- unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company-- then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be.
17. So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
18. This (happened), and that Allah weakens the struggle of the disbelievers.
19. If you demanded a judgment, the judgment has then indeed come to you; and if you desist, it will be better for you; and if you turn back (to fight), We (too) shall turn back, and your forces shall avail you nothing, though they may be many, and (know) that Allah is with the believers.
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The Ruku tells that Allah provided the Muslims with some drowsiness (slumber) that was to give some relief to them in this tense situation (and this drowsiness would take hold of them at UHUD too that would be fought the next year where it would be during the battle as we have studied at the sixteenth Ruku of AALE-IMRAN) and He sent rain upon them for the four things to them; note that He provided the Muslims all of these four things by the descent of angels that came with the blessed rain for the Muslims for their aid by the command of Allah; He provided them the spiritual purity from it, He took away the satanic stain from them, He strengthened their hearts and He steadied their feet that they do not turn away from the battle; Allah commanded the angels that He would assist them so they shall provide strength to the Muslims; very soon, Allah would put extreme fear (of the situation at the battle) inside the disbelievers so the angels would hit above their necks and hit them on each of their fingertips; this is their punishment at the world as they opposed Allah and His Messenger PBUH; and whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger PBUH, then Allah certainly is Most Strict in providing the punishment; this is their worldly punishment and those who remain on disbelief till their deaths, they would get the punishment of hell-fire at AKHIRAT; the Ruku tells explicitly that once the battle takes place then there is no way for any of true Muslims to run-away from the battlefield; the only leave is that he may change his posture even by some displacement without any compromise on the fight that is on; he may also leave his place just to join his mates at the battle to reinforce his position at the fight; except for these, if he runs-away from the battlefield, he would face the wrath of Allah (in the worldly life) and his destination would be the hell-fire (at AKHIRAT) and that certainly is the worst place to enter; the Ruku goes on to tell that it was the help of Allah that made the Muslims achieve this most amazing feat of the victory at BADR and Allah actually killed those whom the Muslims killed at the battlefield and He actually threw the handful of dust which it seems that the Prophet PBUH has thrown upon them; note that during the fight, the Prophet PBUH threw that handful of dust towards the disbelievers that penetrated into the eyes of many of them and due to it, they were unable to see for some moments where they were at the mercy of the Muslims; this all occurred so that Allah may provide the Muslims the space to examine them in the ease to work upon Islam due to this happening; Allah certainly is the Most Hearing and the Most Knowing; Al-Hamdu Lillah; this has happened and at the times ahead too, Allah would weaken the planning of the disbelievers (if the Muslims keep to Islamic teachings without care to the worldly assets except for the necessity); everyone has seen that the decisive outcome has taken place for Islam and if the challengers to Islam do not take the heed, Allah would do the same to them and they would face the same fate as they had faced today at the YAUMUL-FURQAN; they need to understand that the massive quantity of their warriors (and even the impressive quality of their deadly war-weapons) is ultimately useless against Islam as the help of Allah is totally with the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Third Ruku
20. O you who believe - obey Allah and His Apostle and do not turn back from Him while you hear.
21. And be not like those who said, We hear, and they did not obey.
22. Surely the vilest of animals, in Allah's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.
23. And if Allah had known any good in them He would have made them hear, and if He makes them hear they would turn back while they withdraw.
24. O you who believe - answer (the call of) Allah and His Apostle when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.
25. And fear an affliction which may not smite those of you in particular who are unjust; and know that Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
26. And remember when you were few, deemed weak in the land, fearing lest people might carry you off by force, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His aid and gave you of the good things that you may give thanks.
27. O you who believe - be not unfaithful to Allah and the Apostle, nor be unfaithful to your trusts while you know.
28. And know that your property and your children are a temptation, and that Allah is He with Whom there is a mighty reward.
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This Ruku addresses the hypocrites that had reservation obeying the Prophet PBUH when he asked all the Muslims to face the enemy at BADR; note that the Quran does not address the polytheists directly but asks the Prophet PBUH to address them for necessary talks and as for the hypocrites, it addresses them as all Muslims that is “O you who have believed”; it is because at the worldly life, the oral acceptance of Islam is enough by ruling to consider the person as among the Muslims; note that the basis to the decision at AKHIRAT depends on the true Belief that relates to heart and only the true Muslims would be counted among the Muslims there; note that the Ruku addresses the Muslims (hypocrites included) three times as those persons who have believed and all three of these AAYAAT guide all Muslims to accept the commands that Allah has given to them and which His Messenger has elucidated well for them; the Ruku guides that the Muslims would obey Allah and His Messenger PBUH and would not turn away from the obedience when they have listened to the command most clearly; they must not present themselves as such persons who say that they have heard and then they disobey, clearly denoting that they have not heard it (as the rightful hearing asks for obedience); this statement asks them to reflect on the attitude they took up when the direction of the Prophet PBUH told them to leave for BADR; they need to understand that in the view of Allah, the worst of the beasts are those that are deaf and dumb and do not understand anything; note that the AAYAT has mentioned here that the hypocrites are among the animals if they do not obey the good commands of Allah and for their practice, the good commands of His Messenger PBUH, so they are deaf and dumb who are given to the worldly life that affects their understanding and they care little if any about other things; note here that the Man is created at the status above the animals and below the angels but he has such inclinations by his creation that respectively relate to both; he might fall by his wrongs below the animals by caring to his physical needs extensively or he might rise even above many of angels if he cares about his spiritual asking much keeping his attention towards Allah only as that attitude is TAQWA; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT says that if Allah had seen any goodness in the hypocrites, He would have let them hear (i.e. would have let them obey) but many of them are such persons that even if Allah makes them hear, they would ultimately turn away from the obedience and practically become rejecters to it; AAYAT-24 guides the Muslims that they must respond positively to the commands of Allah and to the clarification of them for their practice by His Messenger PBUH when he calls them to such thing that provides the safety of their spiritual life (this thing is the retaliation by the Muslims against the disbelievers by TABLIGH of Islam to them or if necessary, by JEHAD for Islam against them); the Muslims must be mindful that as they get the directions from the Messenger PBUH to practice the commands of Allah and they see the wisdom behind that practice, they must take it then and there because Allah takes away the TOFIQ for the righteous obedience to Islam when there is useless lapse of time after seeing the spiritual benefit that the practice of those commands provide; they must remember that all persons would be gathered at the ground of HASHR (the first Day of AKHIRAT) where they would receive their sheets that would reflect their belief and also their deeds; all the Muslims (including hypocrites) must fear the FITNAH (the trial that affects the true Belief most adversely) at their worldly lives that would not affect those only that are liable of leading the situation to it but even those too that have not retaliated at the appropriate time & place to the situation by TABLIGH or if necessary, by JEHAD; at such times, even SADAQAH counts most highly to all needy persons to save the self if Allah accepts it; and all the Muslims must remain aware that Allah certainly is Most Strict in providing the punishment even at AKHIRAT; AAYAT-26 reminds the Muslims that they were so very weak at their place (i.e. Makkah) when they accepted Islam and had fears that their opponents would treat them by most unjust manners but Allah provided for them to live in peace (at Madinah) and assisted them in the most beautiful manner and gave them their sustenance by the pure & permitted things to see if they do really show gratitude (i.e. the obedience to Allah and His Messenger PBUH); note that when Allah provides the Muslims by His will the worldly things (especially peace at some place by their just attitudes, easy provision of pure edibles and of high necessities and their own good authority to apply Islam in all walks of life) then He sees what attitude the Muslims show; they have to be grateful by heart to Allah and show it in their attitude as He is the true Provider of all things even at the worldly life; see also the note on the 15th Ruku of AARAAF; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-27 guides the Muslims not to betray Allah and His Messenger and also not to betray the trust among their own-selves; they know Islam that comprises of the commands of Allah (that the Quran presents clearly and that the authentic SUNNAH clarify for practice) and they are aware of the rights of each other too among them quite well; the Muslims must understand that their worldly assets and their offspring both relate to FITNAH as their love for both is capable to affect the true Belief most adversely so they must care highly to apply the Islamic commands in issues that relate to both of these as this is the asking of the gratitude they must show towards Allah; He certainly has the highest of good returns for them at AKHIRAT if they do keep to His commands at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Fourth Ruku
29. O you who believe -if you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you the distinction and do away with your wrongs and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of highest grace.
30. And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and Allah too had arranged a plan; and Allah is the best of planners.
31. And when Our AAYAAT are recited to them, they say: we have heard indeed; if we pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the ancients.
32. And when they said: O Allah - if this is the truth from You, then rain upon us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful punishment.
33. But Allah was not going to chastise them while you were amongst them nor is Allah going to chastise them while yet they ask for forgiveness.
34. And what (excuse) have they that Allah should not chastise them while they hinder (men) from the Sacred Mosque and they are not (fit to be) guardians of it; its guardians are only those who guard (against evil), but most of them do not know.
35. And their prayer before the House is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands; taste then the chastisement, for you disbelieved.
36. Surely those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (people) from the way of Allah; so they shall spend it, then it shall be to them an intense regret, then they shall be overcome; and those who disbelieve shall be driven together to hell.
37. That Allah might separate the impure from the good, and put the impure, some of it upon the other, and pile it up together, then cast it into hell; these it is that are the losers.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about the result that TAQWA brings to the Muslim person in the world and in AKHIRAT; note that TAQWA means the attitude of the heart that comes by the true Belief upon Allah with both fear and love towards Him when he has totally thrown away all the worldly base desires and that leads to the most righteous deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT reads, ”O you who believe -if you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you the distinction (FURQAN) and do away with your wrongs and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of highest grace-“; note that the distinction means to see the righteous solution of any problem by Islam when the critical observation of matters at hand is utmost difficult; so TAQWA provides an immediate blessing to the Muslim person that it provides the Muslim person to distinguish the righteous attitude by Islam and he goes on to become firm at the practice of the righteous teachings of Islam; AAYAT-30 reminds that there has passed such time recently when the disbelievers at Makkah were planning to confine you O Prophet PBUH to some specific place or to slay you or to drive you away but Allah was Well-Aware of their plans and He planned otherwise; most certainly, Allah is the best of planners; this AAYAT indicates the HIJRAH (the migration of the Prophet PBUH from Makkah to Madinah) that was one of the most historical events; the Prophet PBUH had migrated by the command of Allah to Madinah with his closest of companions ABU-BAKR-RA at that very time when the disbelievers were prepared fully to slay him and they even searched him at the way to Madinah but all their efforts were futile; this AAYAT elaborates upon the statement that due to care for TAQWA, Allah provides the way to salvation; He had always saved His Messengers when their nations did not accept them and they went on to take the most disrespectful attitude towards them as our study of AARAAF has shown clearly; the AAYAT ahead reminds that there were such persons at Makkah who had become so disrespectful to the Prophet PBUH that they mentioned that they have heard the Quran and they even are able to say such things as these are only the tales from the ancients; though they never were able to do so and their hearing of the Quran never led them to accept it, they tried to misguide the attention of the people to such gatherings where the singing women provided entertainment to them so that they do not incline towards the Quran (read also the Tafsir of AAYAT-6 of Surah LUQMAN); the four AAYAAT ahead state their wrongful speech and manners and the reason why Allah does not finish them off once and for all when they had shown that they would not take-up Islam; they challenged the teachings of the Prophet PBUH by asking for severe chastisement upon them at the world if those were the Truth as they had no inclination to believing them; Allah tells the reason in AAYAT-33 to all peoples for not accepting their asking and note that this is the clear ruling of Allah in this issue; Allah would not punish any nation in the worldly life while the Messenger resides in them and the other reason is that He would not punish them when they verbally ask for forgiveness; note that ISTIGHFAAR (that is the term implied here at the AAYAT and it has the positive connotation) means to repent verbally while TAUBAH relates to repent truly by heart leaving the wrong totally with the intention not to do the wrong again and the intention to provide the compensation to it by TOFIQ from Allah, the true Lord; note that TAUBAH has ISTIGHFAAR too inside its fold; note also that though the AAYAT addresses the disbelievers yet if we look at the world today, it seems that ISTIGHFAAR to Allah of the Muslims in general have provided some safety to them at this moment of time from such wrath of Allah that might have destroyed them totally otherwise, as many of them (even with the claim that they are Muslims) have attached their-selves totally to the worldly gains without care to AKHIRAT and as many of them lack much of the fervor towards Islam; but the fact of the matter is this that the righteous repentance needs that Muslims make TAUBAH towards Allah at this moment of time for safety not only at the worldly life but also at AKHIRAT, and not just ISTIGHFAAR though even that counts much in making the Muslim person better as it might lead him to his TAUBAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that ultimately the limit would manifest with this attitude where the Muslim person would need to surrender his will totally to the commands of Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT ahead say that what the disbelievers have presented as their deeds, that certainly do ask for trouble to them; they have shown disrespect to the places where the true Muslims do recite the name of Allah by heart and they have shown disrespect even to SALAH by their mocking attitude; they would get their punishment at the due time (and that happened at the battlefield while the Muslims even conquered Makkah at the eighth year of Hijrah); though the disbelievers spend their amounts to stop the persons around from the right path of Allah yet that would only prove sorrow to them (and they would regret to see it wasted) as they would soon be overcome; and those that keep to disbelief in them, they would be gathered at the hell-fire; the tussle that goes on between the Muslims and the disbelievers at all times is the manner by which Allah separates the impurities that try to make way into the pure teachings of Islam; it is because everything goes to its place and so that He does pile the impurities together and fasten them and throw them all at the hell-fire; such persons who have attached their-selves to impurities would be extreme losers at the Day of HASHR; Allah certainly is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Fifth Ruku
38. Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven to them; and if they return, then what happened to the ancients has already passed.
39. And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do.
40. And if they turn back, then know that Allah is your Patron; most excellent is the Patron and most excellent the Helper.
41. And know that whatever thing you gain, the fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant, on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; and Allah has power over all things.
42. When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farthest side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you; and if you had mutually made an appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but-- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof; and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing;
43. When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.
44. And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes and He made you to appear little in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about the matter which was to be done, and to Allah are all affairs returned.
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The first AAYAT tells the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers that if they accept Islam, their sins would be forgiven; but if they go on with their disbelief, they would ultimately meet the same fate as those disbelievers that have passed (that was the most severe chastisement at the world by different disasters that fell upon them); this was the answer to their call to Allah to bring the painful punishment upon them if by rejecting Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, they are rejecting the Truth (see AAYAT-32 of this Surah); the AAYAT ahead asks the Muslims to fight them on until the FITNAH is over; note that the Quran uses the term FITNAH in the meaning of extreme wrongs that denote extreme deviation from the true Belief that Islam asks for the Man; whereas FASAD denotes all such extreme wrongs that relate to such deeds that cause deviation from Islam so FITNAH attacks the true Belief (and it enfolds FASAD inside it) and so the situation of some place, where to live with the Islamic belief becomes extremely difficult, is the situation of FITNAH; where the Muslims do have the space to live upon Islam and to work for Islam as the disbelievers might listen to the Muslims there, then it is not feasible for the Muslims to challenge them unless they provide the Islamic teachings in total to the disbelievers and the disbelievers reject it completely; if they respond positively coming to Islam and work for its spread in their own way, the Muslims lose the option to challenge them but if they do not respond positively then ultimately (in good time) in today’s scenario, it is better for the Muslims to keep totally away from them and ask Allah, the true Lord, for mercy upon the weakness of the Muslims; they must not live-on with the disbelievers once it is clear that even after understanding Islam, they would not come to it; may Allah give the Muslims the wisdom to understand the Islamic attitudes and to learn how to apply that in the collective manner in today’s scenario; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-41 gives the ruling of ANFAAL that the fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of his kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer; the other four parts would be distributed among the Muslim warriors; the Muslims would accept this ruling as they truly believe in Allah and on the command provided to them (at YAUMUL-FURQAN i.e. BADR) when both the sides (the Muslims and the disbelievers) had faced each other at the battlefield; that command relates to the first AAYAT of ANFAAL where Allah told the Muslims that ANFAAL are for Allah and the Apostle so this AAYAT clarifies that the fifth part would be for Allah and for the Prophet PBUH and others mentioned here (so it would be deposited at the treasury for its proper use) while the Muslim warriors would get the other four parts; Allah certainly has the true power of all things (and He showed it at BADR when he sent the angels for the aid of the Muslims so it was this direct help that led the Muslims to victory and they must show gratitude to it rather than consider their power the reason for their victory); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT depicts the scene of BADR when the Muslims took their station at the place near to Madinah and the disbelievers at the far-end from it while the caravan was proceeding towards Makkah by the alternate path near to the river; if the Muslims had intended to set the timing to the battle with the disbelievers, both the sides would not have made it practically but Allah had decided that Muslims do challenge the disbelievers at BADR where both the sides reached near to the same time (it was the middle of Ramadan at the second year of Hijrah that corresponds to the middle of March 624 AD); He had decided that the Muslims achieve decisive victory over the disbelievers; this happened because Allah intended that Islam gains the grounds manifestly where the Muslims would spread its teachings without much hindrance so that if someone destroys himself by living in some other manner than by Islam, he would know well that he has taken the life of destruction to himself; and who lives by taking-up Islam by heart would know well that he has taken the life that would lead to peace and at AKHIRAT, it would bring the pleasure of Allah for him in which he would reside forever; Allah certainly is Hearing (to the seeker of the right path) and Knowing (how to provide its clarity to him); Al-Hamdu Lillah; although by the standard of today, it would seem that BADR was just another petty armed conflict at inside of Arabia like others that showed up at that time yet it was never so because it was the clash of the Truth and the utter disbelief; due to it and from there, Allah made possible the teachings of Islam to come into practice at Madinah (that turned into the base for its practice) that gradually led all of Arabia to come to Islam near to the end of the Prophet’s life; after his death, the Muslims went on to spread its teachings all over the known world then so its message reached even the remote places at Africa and even the far-off places in the land of Asia and that specifically is the reason that it was named as YAUMUL-FURQAN; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Allah showed the quantity of the disbelievers less in your dream O Prophet (PBUH) so that you remain aware that their quality to fight the Muslims is much lesser and the Muslims have the upper hand; note that the lesser quantity at dreams of something relates to the lesser quality of that thing; if He had showed them to you much in quantity at your dream (against the usual trend of dreams as in dreams, the quantity relates to the quality) that would have weakened the intention of the Muslims to fight the disbelievers and they might have fallen into disputes with each other whether to challenge the disbelievers at this time or not to; but Allah saved you (and all Muslims) from the trouble to consider the enemy as having any worth at the battlefield and showed you the true dream that they are unable to fight the Muslims; the truthful persons do get the true dreams so you got the message right that the disbelievers with all their quantity and the high armor to fight the Muslims are much lesser against the true Muslims in their quality to fight; Allah certainly knows whatever is at the inside; the last AAYAT emphasizes the point that Allah showed them lesser to you Muslims (in quality to fight) and He showed you Muslims lesser to them (in quantity to fight) as He intended this fight to take place so that the matter He intends is done (i.e. Islam gains the grounds); and all matters are ultimately decided by Him as without His authorization, nothing takes place; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Sixth Ruku
45. O you who believe - when you meet a party, then be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.
46. And obey Allah and His Apostle and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient.
47. And be not like those who came forth from their homes in great exultation and to be seen of men, and (who) turn away from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do.
48. And when the Satan made their works fair seeming to them, and said: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector: but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, surely I see what you do not see, surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil).
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There are few things that are most essential at all times for the Muslims but they have to enhance these when they face the enemy at the battlefield; the first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about two of them while the second AAYAT tells the others; when the Muslims face the enemy at the battlefield, they must remain steadfast against the enemy putting all efforts against them without any thought of running away from the battlefield and they must remember Allah much (and make as much DUA to Him as possible); and they must obey Allah and His Messenger as the unity of command matters especially at this crucial occasion; quarrels among each other at this time would lead to the extreme trouble as then the power that they had by unity would change to weakness and they would become unable to fight their best; they need to be most patient at this time as care to any attachment to the worldly things would lead them to certain disaster; note that SABR for the Muslims denotes in the Quran to attach the self to something praiseworthy by Islam (even though that needs to put some strain to the self) against the option to take something that is blameworthy; that is why it enfolds the meaning of patience keeping to Islam at some incident that causes agony and also enfolds the meaning of living upon necessities at the worldly life with the avoidance of all major sins; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah certainly assists such persons having SABR at all difficult situations; the Muslims should not become like the disbelievers of Makkah who departed from their homes with such jubilant manner as they have won the field and showing-off their-selves and stopping all persons from the way of Allah; but Allah does have all their doings in control so He would finish-off their adverse effect and would bring out the Muslims as victorious; comparing the attitude of the Muslims and of the disbelievers, we do get the meaning of SABR again; the conceit of the disbelievers and their total trust on the physical things is their difference to the Muslims who trust Allah at all times and at all places remaining humble to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; in the challenge to Muslims, the Satan suggests such notions to the disbelievers that with such weaponry that they have provided for them and with their control on issues facing them, they are invincible; and Satan makes them believe that he is with them and with his support, they are sure to win the field; as he is among the JINN (the creation that is mainly created by fire), he sees the angels if they descend from the heavens and here, as he saw a thousand of them descending, he ran away from the field as fast as he could manage crying that he has nothing to do with the disbelievers; he understands that with angels at the side of Muslims, there is no chance for the disbelievers to win the battlefield; he even cries out that he does fear Allah and he is able to see that Allah would provide extreme punishment to the disbeliever today; note that though Satan has been cursed in such manner that he would certainly be put at the hell-fire yet he knows for certain that all power belongs to Allah and he gives company to disbelievers only where his own safety at the world does not come in danger; the disbelievers care but little about the spiritual challenge that would destroy all their physical elements they trust and so ultimately it is the decision of Allah that rules whether they get further space for their change to better or whether they become another of those nations that rose much for the time and then ultimately lost all their impression; He is the true Lord and even now, His will is done upon the earth as in the heavens; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Seventh Ruku
49. When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said: Their religion has deceived them; and whoever trusts in Allah then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
50. And had you seen when the angels will cause to die those who disbelieve, smiting their faces and their backs, and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning.
51. This is for what your own hands have sent on before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the slaves;
52. In the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them; they disbelieved in Allah's AAYAAT, therefore Allah destroyed them on account of their faults; surely Allah is strong, severe in requiting (evil).
53. This is because Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing;
54. In the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them; they rejected the AAYAAT of their Lord, therefore We destroyed them on account of their faults and We drowned Pharaoh's people, and they were all unjust.
55. Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve then they would not believe.
56. Those with whom you make an agreement, then they break their agreement every time and they do not guard (against punishment).
57. Therefore if you overtake them in fighting, then scatter by (making an example of) them those who are in their rear, that they may be mindful.
58. And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, then throw back to them on terms of equality; surely Allah does not love the treacherous.
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At the occasion of BADR, the hypocrites and the Muslims that were weak in their belief said about the true Muslims that their adherence upon Islam have deceived them that they are prepared even to fight the disbelievers of Makkah who are much strong in the battlefield than they are; but whoever has complete trust upon Allah then Allah is truly Mighty (so He would provide such strength to the Muslims that they would defeat the force of Makkah) and Most Wise (so He would see that now the world gets the message of Islam loud and clear providing the Muslims the peaceful environment); note that TAWWAKKUL (having trust in Allah) means to do whatever possible in a given situation, according to the Quran & the SUNNAH and then leave the result to the true Lord Allah as He knows better; His will is TAQDIR (destiny); the second AAYAT is notable as here it becomes clear that from the time of death, the hypocrites are mentioned as the disbelievers though they had been addressed with the Muslims at their lives (and with them, this AAYAT also refers to the disbelievers that were killed at BADR); note that the space ends to accept Islam truly when the person sees his death and the death of the hypocrites is very painful; the angels that come to take out life from them severely beat them on their faces and on their backs and tell them that they would enter the hell-fire very soon; the Muslims might learn much about this AAYAT if they observe such person at his death who had presented himself as one of the Muslims yet had lived on mostly his life against the life that Islam demands from its adherents; this immediate punishment of severe beating is only because of the evil deeds they had sent ahead at their document of deeds and certainly, Allah is not unjust to His slaves; note that all persons are actually His slaves yet those who accept it by heart by accepting Islam and by working in accordance to it, they actually would receive the true success at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-52 mentions that these disbelievers (hypocrites) are much like the Pharaoh (of the oppression) and his people who disbelieved the AAYAAT of Allah and so Allah punished them severely due to their disbelief; this implies that even that Pharaoh (whose wife saved Moses at his birth) and his near relatives knew about the fundamental teachings of Islam and Allah had given them all the most severe punishment due to their disbelief of the AAYAAT of Allah as He had given to those before them, who had shown disbelief to those teachings (see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); note that when the Quran mentions some issue twice and they are very near to each other, there is some delicate difference in both so as AAYAT-54 mentions the Pharaoh and his people again so here the mention relates to the Pharaoh of the Exodus; this is notable that here the AAYAT relates this matter too that they were drowned though AAYAT-52 does not mention that specific punishment; Allah gave the command to Adam-AS & Eve-AS to descend to the earth twice so they differ in nature as the first denoted the punishment to them but after Allah forgave them, the second denoted their examination (see Surah BAQARAH-35 to 39); AAYAT-53 tells the rule that Allah provides all persons with peace and all ease in getting their worldly necessities as He has set the world, the place of examination, in such manner that there remains no deprivation of necessities to any of His creation yet when they are deprived of the necessities, it is the outcome of their own doings; when the persons fall to live at the level of animals with care only to their physical needs and care but little for their spiritual need that is the Guidance to the right path then Allah punishes them by hunger and by fear of all sorts as this is what concerns the animals (see Surah NAHL-112); they involve all their efforts to get the economic stability even if it puts high burden to other peoples and involve all their mental capability to find ways by the development of sophisticated weapons even if it causes extreme fear to other peoples, to avoid the fear that they do not become bound to the authority of some other peoples but they come to control their matters without any right to it; note that Allah, the true Lord, has taken the charge to provide for the basic physical need that is food & water to every person who does ask for it from Him (see Surah HOODH-6) and He has also taken the responsibility to provide for the basic spiritual need that is Guidance to the right path to every person who does ask for it from Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead says that there are disbelievers (among the Jews) who are the worst of animals in view of Allah and so they would never believe in the teachings of Islam; they are such persons who make treaties with Muslims and then break them every time and they have no fear of Allah to guide them; O Prophet PBUH – if you find someone from these persons assisting the enemy at the battle (against the treaty) and you get the control of him, give him such punishment that scatters the Jews (i.e. affects them to avoid such treacherous acts) so that they are mindful to act by the treaty; if you find them all treacherous that are inclined to breach of the treaty, then throw it to them on such equal terms that you might challenge all of them if and when necessary; Allah certainly does not appreciate the treacherous persons (so neither you bear such treachery nor you take anything against the treaty while it is valid; finish it off so you might challenge them at necessity); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Eighth Ruku
59. And let not those who disbelieve think that they shall come in first; surely they will not escape.
60. And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.
61. And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
62. And if they intend to deceive you-- then surely Allah is sufficient for you; He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers
63. And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise.
64. O Prophet - Allah is sufficient for you and for such of the believers as follow you.
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The Ruku commences by the statement that the disbelievers must not think that they have saved their-selves as they have escaped death at BADR; they would not be able to prevent the wrath of Allah to fall upon them if they do not come to Islam; and O Muslims - you would prepare against the disbelievers the strength to fight them as much as possible for you and the horses at watch that you would remain capable to frighten the enemy of Allah (the disbelievers) and your enemy (the hypocrites) and others besides them (this includes all that are unseen to them i.e. the JINN that are evil and have taken as their task to misguide the Muslims; the Persians; the Roman Dynasty and all persons to come ahead at the world that might challenge the Muslims); you Muslims do not know them but Allah knows them and whatever you spend in the way of Allah that would bring rewards to you at the worldly life and at AKHIRAT so it would be returned to you in much better manner; and certainly you would not be dealt unjustly; as horses are mentioned categorically here so whatever be the technique of the war, the Muslims would have such battalions at all their forces against the enemy where they would have their trained horses to combat; the trained war-horses for the combat do have some capability to detect the unseen danger (sometimes even much prior to its manifestation) and they must remain the necessary element in the forces of Muslims; and O Muslims - if the disbelievers incline to the pact of peace, make that pact with them and do not worry that they would do against their word at some crucial time but you only have TAWAKKUL towards Allah; He is Most Hearing (of their planning against the Muslims) and Most Knowing (how to make things better for the Muslims); Al-Hamdu Lillah; if the disbelievers try to deceive you then Allah would help you and His help is enough to limit them in their planning and action; He would provide that help directly (by the angels) and by the true Muslims that accompany you; it is Allah Who has put attraction in their hearts for each other and if O Muhammad PBUH – you were to spend whatever amounts of wealth the earth holds, you would not have put such attraction into their hearts; but Allah has united them with affection for each other and certainly, Allah is Mighty (so He brings the matters of the world as He intends by His commands in the direct manner) and Most Wise (so He makes those impressions take hold that lead the world to His intended destination and no other); Al-Hamdu Lillah; O Prophet PBUH – the help of Allah is most sufficient for you and for all those who follow you among your companions and they are the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Ninth Ruku
65. O Prophet - urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.
66. For the present Allah has made light your burden, and He knows that there is weakness in you; so if there are a hundred patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand they shall overcome two thousand by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient.
67. It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives unless he has fought and triumphed in the land; you desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the hereafter; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.
68. Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to.
69. Eat then of the lawful and good (things) which you have acquired in war, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku asks the Prophet PBUH to urge the Muslims for QITAL (the fight against the disbelievers) and gives this good tiding that even the true Muslims are twenty only, they would be enough to win the field against two hundred of disbelievers; if the true Muslims that are hundred and face a thousand of disbelievers, the Muslims would even then defeat them; the quantity of disbelievers would not stand against the quality of the Muslims to fight them for the simple reason that they are not aware of the blessing of the Islamic teachings when they are in practice clearly; this AAYAT though statement, provides this as command that the Muslims (if they face disbelievers that are ten times more in quantity) have to fight them and they would not back-out from the combat though if the disbelievers are much more, then the Muslims have the option to withdraw their-selves from QITAL; the next AAYAT gives concession in the command and makes the Muslims liable to fight the disbelievers necessarily when at maximum, they are double in number to the Muslims and beyond that, the Muslims have the option to withdraw; the reason for this concession is given at the AAYAT that they do have some weakness (in the power to fight) yet Allah would assist them if they do relate themselves to SABR; note that this AAYAT-65 is among the five AAYAAT the command of which has changed and so it is an AAYAT which Allah has caused to be forgotten (see the note at the thirteenth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); for the AAYAT ahead, note that the Prophet PBUH had decided to free the captives of BADR that had come at the custody of the Muslims by taking FIDYAH (the ransom amount); the Muslims were in hard situation and needed some economic stability so this seemed fine to get the situation better but Allah did not endorse this decision; the AAYAT tells that it is not fit for the Prophet PBUH to let these captives free but without making them captives, he should have ordered their execution; the Muslims intend to get the worldly assets yet Allah intends to give JANNAH to them at AKHIRAT; and things would gradually get better for the Muslims that would lead to their financial prosperity; Allah certainly is Mighty (so He would provide their necessities even in much hard times) and Most Wise (so He would lead the circumstances to such position where the Muslims would find ease in their economic necessities); Al-Hamdu Lillah; if Allah had not provided you O Muslims - the command relating to the captives that might come in your custody at war, you would have faced a severe punishment at the worldly life for whatever you have taken against the release of the captives; the command mentioned here at the AAYAT relates to AAYAT-4 of Surah Muhammad (PBUH) which has such direction that it might be interpreted as allowed for the Muslims to decide for their freedom by claiming some amounts from them; note that Surah Muhammad (PBUH) had descended before ANFAAL though its placement in the Quran is as the forty-seventh Surah; the last AAYAT tells that you Muslims may put into use the amounts of ANFAAL that you have taken (and even the ransom amounts) so use it as best as you can according to Islam; and develop TAQWA to Allah; and Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
ANFAAL-The Last Ruku
70. O Prophet - say to those of the captives who are in your hands: If Allah knows anything good in your hearts, He will give to you better than that which has been taken away from you and will forgive you, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
71. And if they intend to act unfaithfully towards you, so indeed they acted unfaithfully towards Allah before, but He gave (you) mastery over them; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
72. Surely those who believed and fled (their homes) and struggled hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, and those who gave shelter and helped-- these are guardians of each other; and (as for) those who believed and did not migrate, not yours is their guardianship until they migrate; and if they seek aid from you in the matter of religion, aid is incumbent on you except against the people between you and whom there is treaty, and Allah sees what you do.
73. And (as for) those who disbelieve, some of them are the guardians of others; if you will not do it, there will be in the land persecution and great mischief.
74. And (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision.
75. And (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah; surely Allah knows all things.
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There were such persons among the captives of BADR who were unhappy on the amounts asked from them for their release (and Abbas, the paternal uncle of the Prophet PBUH, was among them); everybody had to pay the ransom amount except for ABUL-AAS who was the son-in-law of the Prophet PBUH (who had not yet accepted Islam) and provided a necklace as the ransom amount; that necklace belonged to Khadija-RA, the first wife of the Prophet PBUH, who had always cared for him as his loving companion for twenty five years at Makkah and the last eleven years or so of which were the most trying times for them; he returned the necklace to ABUL-AAS with the permission of his SAHABA at BADR but asked him to send ZAYNAB, his wife who was the eldest of daughters of the Prophet PBUH, to Madinah when he returns to Makkah which he did (and afterwards he also accepted Islam and came to Madinah); AAYAT-70 tells the Prophet PBUH to tell the captives that if Allah knows any good in their hearts, He would provide them TOFIQ to come to Islam and He would forgive them and that most certainly is better than whatever is taken from them as ransom; Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; if any of these captives intend to deceive the Muslims (by the breach of their agreement) then before this, they have tried to ignore the word that they gave to Allah at the world of spirits (see AARAAF-172) so Allah gave the Muslims the control over them (as they became captives) so the Muslims do not need to worry and they would keep TAWAKKUL on Allah; and Allah certainly is Knowing and Most Wise; AAYAT-72 tells that both the distinctive sides of the Muslims that are MUHAJIRIN (the Muslims that had migrated from Makkah to Madinah) and ANSAAR (the basic residents of Madinah), these all are true friends to each other; and MUHAJIRIN have no rights to the inheritance with those who had accepted Islam yet they have not migrated to Madinah until they do migrate; but if those Muslims who had not yet migrated, ask help from the Muslims at Madinah in the matters of Islam, they need to help them unless it is against such people with whom the Muslims have some treaty of peace; certainly, Allah sees what they all do; the disbelievers are guardians to each other against Muslims so if the Muslims do not care for their agreements with any of them, that would cause extreme trouble to the Muslims as it would lead to FITNAH (that would make keeping to the true Belief most difficult) at the place and that would also lead to FASAD (that would make keeping to the righteous deeds most difficult); AAYAT-74 tells, “and (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly, they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision”; so here the general status of both MUHAJIRIN and ANSAAR has been confirmed that both of these distinctive sides of Muslims are true Muslims; the AAYAAT at the beginning of this Surah has provided the introduction to the true Muslims that tells, “they ask you about the windfalls (ANFAAL); say - the windfalls are for Allah and the Apostle, so be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Apostle if you are believers; those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust; those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them; these are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and the honorable sustenance”; now this last but one AAYAT of the Ruku provides the degree to both the distinctive sides of Muslims that they both fulfill the criteria of being the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT reads, “and (as for) those who believed afterwards and fled and struggled hard along with you, they are of you; and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other in the ordinance of Allah; surely Allah knows all things”; this implies that those Muslims that accepted Islam late and left Makkah and they also faced the trying times with the Muslims at Madinah, they too are good Muslims as other of SAHABA; however, the inheritance is the rights of the near relatives so even if MUHAJIRIN and ANSAAR are very close to each other, they would not inherit amounts from each other as Allah has given this ruling among the Muslims; their relation asks for the spiritual strength and Allah certainly knows all things; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of ANFAAL ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah
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Surah TAUBAH
(Consists of 16 Ruku)
(H-8; H-9; H-10)
TAUBAH-The First Ruku
1. (This is a declaration of) immunity by Allah and His Apostle towards those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement.
2. So go about in the land for four months and know that you cannot weaken Allah and that Allah will bring disgrace to the disbelievers.
3. And an announcement from Allah and His Apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah and His Apostle are free from liability to the idolaters; therefore if you repent, it will be better for you, and if you turn back, then know that you will not weaken Allah; and announce painful punishment to those who disbelieve.
4. Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have not failed you in anything and have not backed up any one against you, so fulfill their agreement to the end of their term; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).
5. So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
6. And if one of the idolaters seek protection from you, grant him protection till he hears the word of Allah, then make him attain his place of safety; this is because they are a people who do not know.
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This is the only Surah that does not have BISM-Allah prefixed to it though it is better that after reading of its first Ruku, its reader takes a gap of some moments and then recites the BISM-Allah; the Surah begins with the mention that Allah and His Messenger have ended the treaty of peace that was among the Muslims and the disbelievers; there were four months that the disbelievers at Makkah had to either accept Islam or either leave the area of HARAM; if they do not avail any of these options, the Muslims would kill them as after sending the Messenger to some nation, Allah appoints such time where they would ultimately accept the fundamental Islamic teachings or face certain death and now Allah would provide this destruction to the disbelievers by the hands of the Muslims; it also mentions the battle of HUNAYN and mostly the battle of TABUK (towards which the Muslims marched on at Rajab of 9th year of HIJRAH i.e. October/November 630-AD and the temperature at that time at Madinah was extremely hot); it mentions TAUBAH (the Repentance) of three of SAHABA-RA that Allah accepted, who did not attend TABUK without any valid reason; note that all the Muslims had taken-up the social boycott of these three on the direction of the Prophet PBUH; note also that though before TABUK, it was not necessary for every Muslim man to attend the battles fought against the disbelievers when there was enough force of the Muslims to challenge them yet the Prophet PBUH had clearly ordered all of the Muslims that were able to fight, to become the part of the force that would advance to the place named TABUK necessarily as that advance was their challenge to the force of the Roman Empire; these three did not attend it due to their slackness so that was without any valid reason and so they faced their punishment; Allah accepted their repentance that is mentioned in this Surah and then their social boycott ended after fifty days of their trial; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note this interesting thing about this first Ruku that many of Ruku ahead in this Surah had descended before it yet as this Ruku is most important to the subject-matter of this Surah (that is the command of Allah to the Muslims that they have to challenge the disbelievers finally in the most direct manner), it comes first at the Surah; note here that this Surah is the last of Surah to descend and at that time, the end of the worldly life of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH was very near; to understand this Ruku better that opens the Surah, we need to remember that though Muhammad PBUH was sent to all peoples of the world of all times to come, yet he especially belonged to Arabia and as such, Allah sent him especially to the Arabs of that time; our study of Surah AARAAF shows us that when some nation disbelieves the Messenger that Allah has sent to them, then Allah saves the Messenger and the believers with him and He puts some deadly destruction on that disbelieving nation; now, when Allah had given rise to the voice of Islam from Arabia and the Muslims had become a strong force of Allah then due to the manner of Allah, He commanded Muhammad PBUH to tell the idolaters (especially at Makkah) in final terms either to believe in Islam or either to face the force that Allah had raised (i.e. the Muslims) against such disbelievers of Islam (see AAYAAT-13, 14 & 15 ahead of the next RUKU); however, they were allowed if they did not intend to accept Islam to leave Arabia and go away to anywhere else in the four months at progress from the days of HAJJ at the 9th year of Hijrah; though the Emir that led the procession to that HAJJ was ABU-BAKR-RA yet the Prophet PBUH also sent his first cousin who also was his son-in-law Ali-RA towards Makkah to announce this message at the 9th day of the month of HAJJ at Makkah (the Prophet PBUH performed his only HAJJ the next year that is named as HAJJATUL-WIDA i.e. the farewell HAJJ); Ali-RA joined the procession en-route to Makkah and made sure that all the disbelievers get this message well there that from now on, the disbelievers would not perform HAJJ ever and it would remain totally decent (note that the disbelievers at Makkah that were idolaters used to perform HAJJ not only with SHERK but in extremely indecent manner too); all treaties of peace that the Muslims had made with them would now become null and void except for those agreements that were bound to specific timing and the other party to it has shown commitment to it without any troubles to the Muslims as they never provided aid to any of challengers to the Muslims; so it is the asking of TAQWA to Allah for the Muslims to care for those agreements to their culmination; the message was clear that if the idolaters did not intend to accept Islam, they had four months to leave the land and go away from HARAM and this direction had the subtle indication that very soon, the land of Arabia would remain pure and far-away from all SHERK and disbelief; Al-Hamdu Lillah; all of the disbelievers must know well that they are unable to stop Allah from whatever He intends to bring forth and He would certainly put all of the disbelievers to extreme disgrace; so the idolaters, even if they manage to escape the punishment of death at the world, would certainly face the most agonizing punishment at AKHIRAT; AAYAT-5 tells most explicitly that when the sacred months have passed away, then the Muslims would slay the idolaters wherever they find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up the SALAH and pay the ZAKAH, then only they would leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving (so He would accept their asking for forgiveness) and He is Merciful (so He would provide them TOFIQ to better themselves in their belief and in their deeds); any such person from among the idolaters who needs to learn the fundamental teachings of Islam under the protection of the Prophet PBUH, he would accept his plea and the Muslims would provide him those teachings as best as they are able to, and then leave him to his place of security so that he may reflect on what he has learnt of Islam with convenience as there are persons among the disbelievers who are yet unaware of the fundamental teachings of Islam; note here that this command to either accept Islam or to either leave the HARAM (with their families who believed the same as they believed) for some place much far-away, was the most specific treatment to the idolaters of Makkah; Allah had sent His last Messenger Muhammad PBUH in them and He had left no option for them to disbelieve by providing them the total clarity for the Islamic teachings by the Quran; Al-Hamdu-Lillah; so this is not an example to cite for the command of JEHAD (or in better words for the command of QITAL as that term actually means the fight against the disbelievers who challenge the Islamic teachings and though the term JEHAD enfolds it yet it is much more wide in its meaning than QITAL) as that example would cause extreme misunderstanding to its ruling; note that by the blessing of Allah, I, MSD, have provided the ruling for QITAL explicitly at the twenty sixth Ruku of BAQARAH when the Muslims need to attack the enemy, and here, I would provide that ruling again; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there are conditions for the issue of QITAL/JEHAD by attack and I, MSD, would presently state its five most notable conditions by using here the term JEHAD only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first is that it is necessary for Muslims to convey the basic Islamic Teachings explicitly to the enemy before the JEHAD that the Muslims initiate; the second is that the enemy they fight against, has not only rejected Islam but even the offer to formulate a respectable pact with Muslims in clear terms either with the agreement to pay JIZYA (monetary tax for their protection) or without it; if they break-up their agreement especially without information, that would bring them at the position where, with other conditions of the aggressive JEHAD intact, the Muslims would have to challenge them immediately as this breach even asks for the defense of Muslims at such occasion; the third is to fight that strictly under the command of the wise & courageous Islamic commander with full sincerity to him in that JEHAD; the fourth is that each of the warrior himself shall be such Muslim who avoids major sins with high commitment to Islam and the fifth is that Muslims have gathered the necessary physical force to fight the enemy with high caliber; there is much detail to these conditions at the books of FIQH for those who intend elaboration on these; note that missing of any of these five conditions renders the initiative to JEHAD unnecessary though Muslims would fight JEHAD in defense most enthusiastically against the enemy where they are challenged and they certainly have no such conditions to see at such defensive JEHAD; note also that the Quran does ask for JEHAD (in the meaning of QITAL) at different places but sometimes it takes-up the matter with the understanding that the disbelievers have rejected the message of Islam and sometimes advices the Muslims where the disbelievers have broken their pacts with the Muslims while showing explicitly by their attitude that they have rejected the message of Islam; here at TAUBAH, Allah commands the Muslims to kill those idolaters of Makkah who neither accept Islam nor keep away from HARAM after the given four months so it relates to the specific place and the specific time; this asks for the highest of caution in comments upon the AAYAAT related to JEHAD to which sadly those who do not understand the expressions of the Quran, do not pay any attention and as such, come to such meanings that challenge the teachings of the Quran rather than interpret it correctly; they certainly must keep the Ahadith in view with high observation to how it presents the issue; in this important discussion, please note also that the true Muslims actually are the force of Allah upon the earth and they certainly have committed their-selves to see that His authority is never challenged in any manner; please note well that though at necessity, they might call JEHAD against the disbelievers even if they have to initiate it yet there are valid reasons as of now that the Muslims would avoid the initiation of JEHAD; the foremost of these valid reasons is that it would kill the most high quantity of innocent persons at both sides due to the most deadly weapons in use (though they certainly are not truly the weapons of war) and Islam does not appreciate to kill any of innocent persons in this manner (even by the name of JEHAD) especially when they are among the most weakest persons of their respective nations; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Second Ruku
7. How can there be an agreement for the idolaters with Allah and with His Apostle; except those with whom you made an agreement at the Sacred Mosque? So as long as they are true to you, be true to them; surely Allah loves those who are careful (of their duty).
8. How (can it be) - while if they prevail against you, they would not pay regard in your case to ties of relationship, nor those of covenant; they please you with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors.
9. They have taken a small price for the AAYAAT of Allah, so they turn away from His way; surely evil is it that they do.
10. They do not pay regard to ties of relationship nor those of covenant in the case of a believer; and these are they who go beyond the limits.
11. But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, they are your brethren in faith; and We make the AAYAAT clear for the people who know.
12. And if they break their oaths after their agreement and (openly) revile your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief-- surely their oaths are nothing-- so that they may desist.
13. What - will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Apostle, and they attacked you first; do you fear them? But Allah is most deserving that you should fear Him, if you are believers.
14. Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and heal the hearts of the believing people.
15. And remove the rage of their hearts; and Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Most Knowing, Wise.
16. What- do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard and have not taken any one as closest besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah is aware of what you do.
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The RUKU tells the Muslims that they must not trust the idolaters in the agreements that they have made with them; they would break their agreement most conveniently without care to the Muslims (and they would not even care for the blood relations that they have with them) if they see that they would manage to save themselves from the Muslims even after the breach of the agreement; they intend to deceive the Muslims by their speech that does not agree with what they have in their hearts for the Muslims so that the Muslims care about them though they would never care for the Muslims if they get some control over the Muslims, neither even due to the blood relations nor even due to the agreements that they had made, so many of them are most sinful; note that the disbelievers at Makkah had assisted their allies at the tribe of Bani-BAKR against the allies of the Muslims at the tribe of KHUZA’A that was against the agreement that they had made with the Muslims at HUDAYBIA and that led to the end of that agreement to the detriment of the disbelievers; however, the Muslims would care for those agreements up-to their culmination with the disbelievers who have kept their word and so as they care for that, the Muslims too would care for that; Allah appreciates this attitude of TAQWA; AAYAT-9 tells that there are such disbelievers among them who incline extremely to the worldly base desires so instead of believing in the AAYAAT of Allah, they stop their selves from following the right path most intently; certainly, whatever they do is extremely bad; they are more inclined to disregard the blood relations with the Muslims or the treaties that they have made with the Muslims so they certainly are the most unjust persons; the AAYAT ahead goes on to tell the Muslims that if these idolaters leave all wrongs and take-up Islam truly by heart (that would manifest by their true repentance upon wrongs and by their reading of SALAH and by their paying of ZAKAH) and fulfill other of the duties that Islam puts on them, with high commitment then they are like brothers to other of the Muslims due to the righteous belief so in this way, Allah elaborates AAYAAT for those who do understand; AAYAT-12 tells that if the disbelievers break their treaty with the Muslims and blame the Muslims on taking-up the teachings of Islam, the Muslims ought to fight these persons at Makkah who have become chiefs to lead the people in disbelief; they have no care to their treaties so when the Muslims fight with them, that might lead them to check their wrongful attitudes towards the Muslims for their own safety; and why the Muslims not fight such wrong persons who had already broken their oaths and had decided to expel the Prophet PBUH from his residing place (Makkah) and they initiated this all at the first place; the Muslims would not fear them but fear Allah (with His love inside) that He does not punish them if they disobey Him; the Muslims must fight them and Allah would punish them by the hands of the Muslims (as He does punish severely all those who totally reject His message) and He would bring them to extreme disgrace (in their worldly lives), and He would assist the Muslims against them (by angels) and heal the hearts of the believing people (that they would not go on suffering at the hands of the disbelieving persons); Allah would clear the hearts of those believing persons who had been wronged by the disbelievers and He would even give TOFIQ from among those disbelievers to whom He wills to accept Islam; and He certainly is the Most Knowing and the Most Wise; the last AAYAT explicitly tells that the Muslims would have to discard all fears of the disbelievers and fight them to express the authority of Allah in clear terms so that Allah brings at fore those persons from among the Muslims who have struggled hard and have not taken anyone as closest to them besides Allah and His Apostle and the believers; and Allah certainly is aware of all the deeds that the Muslims do; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Third Ruku
17. The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of Allah while bearing witness to disbelief against themselves, these it is whose doings are null, and in the fire shall they abide.
18. Only he shall visit the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the latter day, and keeps up prayer and pays the poor-rate and fears none but Allah; so (as for) these, it may be that they are of the followers of the right course.
19. What - do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the Sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah's way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
20. Those who believed and fled (their homes), and strove hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers (of their objects).
21. Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and (His) good pleasure and gardens, wherein lasting blessings shall be theirs;
22. Abiding therein forever; surely Allah has a Mighty reward with Him.
23. O you who believe - do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they love disbelief more than belief; and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, these it is that are the unjust.
24. Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.
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The Ruku starts by the statement that the idolaters have no right to become caretakers to the Mosques (specially the MAJIDUL-HARAAM where the KA’BAH is located) and due to their disbelief, all of their deeds have become waste so they would be the dwellers of the hell-fire where they would remain forever; the caretakers to them would only be those good Muslims who truly believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment and they read SALAH and pay ZAKAH and they do not fear anyone except Allah so these may be those who are among the guided persons; note that the Quran sometimes uses “may be” as here to denote that there is hope from Allah that He would accept the persons for the good task in the discussion and it sometimes uses the past tense for the future events to emphasize that whatever is mentioned is most certain to occur; there were such persons among the disbelievers who boasted that they provide the drinking water to the persons who come to visit the KA’BAH and they are the caretakers to that most respectable Mosque so Allah states that in front of Allah, the provision of the drinking water or even the caretaking of the Mosque does not compare with the true believer who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment and takes-up JEHAD in the way of Allah (note that the term JEHAD means here to say the SALAH and pay the ZAKAH with total attention towards Allah); and Allah certainly does not guide those who are most unjust of the disbelievers; AAYAT-20 tells clearly that the true believers who believe in Allah and have made the Hijrah (the migration to Madinah from Makkah) and have taken-up JEHAD by their wealth and with their selves (their abilities and their efforts) in the way of Allah, they are most certainly better in status and they actually are those who achieve the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; their true Lord tells them that they would get mercy from their true Lord and His pleasure that would lead them to JANNAAT where they would have the eternal blessing for them; they would live in such blessing for eternity never to end so the certain of all things is that Allah only has the greatest of the good returns for the true belief of the Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-23 guides the Muslims not to take their fathers or their brothers as guardians if their fathers or their brothers prefer the disbelief over the true belief; this AAYAT guides those Muslims who had not yet taken-up the Hijrah to revise their preferences as their near ones in relatives are the reason for their slackness so with this attitude, they also would become the unjust persons; the next AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the Muslims explicitly that if the Muslims prefer their fathers, their children, their brothers, their spouses, their near-family members and the property which they have acquired, the trade in which they fear loss and dwellings which they like much, over the love of Allah and His Apostle and striving in His way, then they shall wait till Allah brings about His command about such persons who have such adverse preferences; and Allah certainly does not guide the most sinful persons; note that the AAYAT is very strict for the Muslims who have yet to set their preferences in the best of manners and implies clearly that the Muslim person would be most clear about his attitudes that the eight things mentioned do not become more important to him than the three things that are the commands of Allah, the good directions of the Prophet PBUH for their practical application and JEHAD in His way (that means to take up QITAL where necessary and also the reading of SALAH and the paying of ZAKAH with total attention towards Allah); the Muslim person must be committed to all three as that only would lead him to attaining the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fourth Ruku
25. Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the day of HUNAYN, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating.
26. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Apostle and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and chastised those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the disbelievers.
27. Then will Allah after this turn (mercifully) to whom He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
28. O you who believe - the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year; and if you fear poverty then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He pleases; surely Allah is Knowing, Wise.
29. Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku states that Allah helped the Muslims at many occasions against the disbelievers and among them, was the battle of HUNAYN too where the force of the Muslims (that consisted of 12000 warriors) marched on after the conquest of Makkah; note that some of the Muslims had boasted about their number that was advancing towards HUNAYN and Allah intended to remind them that not the quantity but the quality of the warriors matters as they had seen at the combats they had before with the disbelievers when the disbelievers had attacked Madinah; it happened that after the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet PBUH got the report that the tribe of Bani-HAWAZIN that lived at the vicinity of HUNAYN near to TA’IF with other of tribes (in which the notable tribe was the Bani-THAQIF) was making preparations to attack the Muslims; not to give them the opening to attack, the Prophet PBUH marched on towards HUNAYN with his ten thousand of SAHABA that had come with him from Madinah plus two thousand more of Makkah who had accepted Islam just then; Bani-HAWAZIN had such persons that were adept in archery and they all had placed their selves in such strategic position at the mountain from where they could shower their arrows fast as much surprise to the Muslims; as the Muslims came near to their strategic camp, they threw their arrows extremely fast as they had planned and it did cause panic among the Muslims at the initial stage of the battle and they dispersed at the field; however, the Prophet PBUH managed the situation then and there by reciting that he surely was the Prophet of Allah (so it is not possible insha-Allah to defeat him decisively at the battlefield) and note here that Allah sent angels too at that occasion; he commanded his uncle ABBAS-RA (who had an impressive voice) who was near to him then, to call out to Muslims that they discipline themselves and attack; the Muslims did so and the outcome was that they did get the victory over the tribe of Bani-HAWAZIN; however, Allah showed them clearly that they would not be relaxed by the quantity of the warriors they have, but they would develop the quality of their good belief inside them by their good deeds as that would insha-Allah lead them to victory; Al-Hamdu Lillah; though the Muslims achieved thousands of slaves from HAWAZIN as was the custom of the day yet the Prophet PBUH ordered the release of all of them as they accepted Islam and asked for that release; note that the Prophet PBUH had announced general amnesty for all of the people of Makkah too when the Muslims had conquered it; after getting the battle of HUNAYN, the Prophet PBUH marched on to TA’IF that was nearby and many of the warrior persons of HAWAZIN had retired there; the tribes there locked their-selves inside the fort there and in spite of high efforts of the Muslims did not show any sign to come out from there; after about 20 days of siege, the Prophet PBUH ordered the SAHABA to retreat to Makkah but he prayed to Allah that even the peoples there at that vicinity who had not yet accepted Islam, come to Islam; Allah accepted his DUA and the next year the delegation from Bani-THAQIF came to Madinah where they accepted Islam and showed its acceptance for the whole of their tribe; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-26 tells that Allah sent down calmness from Him at that occasion of chaos upon His Prophet PBUH and upon all the true Muslims, and He sent down angels to assist the Muslims which they did not see, and He chastised those who disbelieved so in this way he provided extreme punishment to the disbelievers; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah would accept the repentance of persons from among them after the battle is over for whomsoever He wills; Allah certainly is Most Merciful and Most Forgiving; the last couple of AAYAT again guide the Muslims what attitudes they would take about the disbelievers whereas the first of them gives the ruling for the idolaters and the second gives the treatment they would extend to the people of the Book; the first of them says that the Muslims ought to note that the idolaters are most unclean inside, so they shall not approach the sacred Mosque where the KA’BAH is located, after this year; and Muslims need not worry about poverty when the quantity of visitors to Makkah falls temporarily as Allah will enrich them by His grace if He wills; note here that the wealth did pour in by booty and by JIZYA (monetary tax against the safety that the Muslims provide to the disbelievers); Allah certainly is Most Knowing and Most Wise; the last AAYAT tells that the Muslims would fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Day of Judgment and they do not prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited nor follow the right path i.e. Islam; the AAYAT clarifies that these persons are among those who have been given the Book (Torah) so the Muslims would fight those until they pay the tax (JIZYA) to acknowledge the superiority of the Muslims over them; they must necessarily remain committed to the treaty of peace without any challenge to the Muslims and they also must necessarily show the clear acceptance of their inferior state of subjection; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fifth Ruku
30. And the Jews say: UZAIR (Ezra) is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
31. They have taken their doctors of law and their monks for lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah son of Mary and they were enjoined that they should serve one Allah only, there is no god but He; far from His glory be what they set up (with Him).
32. They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the disbelievers are averse.
33. He it is Who sent His Apostle with the Guidance and the true code of life, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.
34. O you who believe - most surely many of the doctors of law and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement,
35. On the day when it shall be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it; this is what you hoarded up for yourselves, therefore taste what you hoarded.
36. Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah's ordinance since the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred; that is the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves regarding them, and fight the polytheists together as they fight you together; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
37. Postponing (of the sacred month) is only an addition in disbelief, wherewith those who disbelieve are led astray, violating it one year and keeping it sacred another, that they may agree in the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred, and thus violate what Allah has made sacred; the evil of their doings is made fair-seeming to them; and Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku tells that not only the Christians but the Jews also said about one of the Prophets i.e. Ezra-AS that he was the son of Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements); note that the word used here is IBN and not WALAD and though the latter denotes the son specifically yet IBN is such term that is also applied to show some closeness as IBN-US-SABIL literally means “the son of the way” and it means the traveler in speech; the difference between the Christians and the Jews was that the former took Jesus-AS even as WALAD to Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements; see Surah KAHF-4) while the Jews gave much high respect to Ezra as he provided Torah to them again when it was lost and some faction of them did use such term for him (it is mentioned that the dead sea scrolls have an indication to this statement from some faction of the Jews at certain time); note that it needs utmost care that no one speaks such terms for Allah (especially it must not happen that some significant number of persons take them in their speech) as that might be given some erroneous meanings as the time passes on and it is most probable that such terms mislead the coming generations; so the AAYAT mentions their statement with the like statement of the NASARAA (the Christians) though there is much difference in them; it is something that they do say giving no thoughts to it but it has no validity (that the Christians say) and as it has the most erroneous meaning to it (that the Jews say); the AAYAT tells that the disbelievers at Makkah have also followed them in this statement as they have taken angels as daughters of Allah (may Allah save all the Muslims from such statements); so the AAYAT implies that Allah puts His curse upon all such persons who take such manner that misleads not only them but even others too; note that this Ruku especially tells about the wrongs of those persons who come to some status among their people that seemingly is due to their spiritual standing; these people of the Book have taken their religious scholars and their monks as lords, and even Messiah ibn Marium, leaving the true Lord Allah; note that they were commanded strictly to worship Allah only that there is no god but He; they set-up others as equal in authority to Him but far from His glory is what they set up; Al-Hamdu Lillah; after these couple of AAYAAT, the two AAYAAT ahead that are 32 & 33 at this Ruku tell that whatever the disbelievers try, they would never be able to stop the spread of the teachings of Islam as Allah intends that they do spread all over the world providing the light of guidance to all peoples of the world (though its acceptance or its rejection depends upon their own free-will); Al-Hamdu Lillah; please see the supplementary note at this issue after the note at this RUKU; the couple of AAYAAT ahead tell the Muslims about the position of such of the religious scholars and monks of the Jews and the Christians at AKHIRAT who, though seemingly pious, used to take amounts from the people because of their status in their eyes at the world and did even avoid to provide any of the true guidance where they saw their material gains in that avoidance so they even stopped the people from the right path of Allah; they preferred to gather huge amounts of money rather than care to guide the people spiritually according to the commands of Allah; their attitude of gathering gold and silver would result in such punishment to them on that day when they do not spend it in the way of Allah (though taken by wrongful means) that it would be heated at the hell-fire and then their foreheads and their sides and their backs would be branded with it; and they would be told that this is what that they used to hoard so now their hoarded treasure specifically would become their chastisement; by the words of the AAYAT, it seems that even the paper money would be given such manner (and that might be converted to gold as that does represent it) where it would not burn but would be heated at the hell-fire (that has much more heat than the ordinary fire at the world) to brand them; note that even if they had spent huge amounts from what they had taken sinfully, that might have saved them from such painful chastisement at AKHIRAT (though they might have faced other of punishments there) yet their intense love for the material gains (when they had to present the spiritual benefits by providing the true guidance to all people who took them as their guides) would lead them ultimately to such disgrace and such extremely painful chastisement; the last couple of AAYAAT tell the ruling about the months and addresses the wrong that the disbelievers used to commit related to them; the first of them tells that Allah has set the number of months to twelve months and that is since the day when He created the heavens and the earth and four of them are sacred (ZIL-QA’AD, ZIL-HAJJ, Muharram and Rajab; these are the eleventh, twelfth, first and seventh month of the Lunar calendar respectively) so the Muslims would not become unjust to their-selves but they would fight the polytheists together as the polytheists fight them together, at other of months; note that now, the Muslims might challenge the disbelievers even in these months whereas at the times of the Prophet PBUH, it was not allowed to them but near to the last of his worldly life, they had marched towards TABUK in Rajab; and all must know that Allah is with those who take-up TAQWA to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand the last AAYAT, note that the disbelievers used to change the sequence of months at times as the prohibited month (where they considered fighting as prohibited) came at such time when they had planned to fight their opponents; so to remove this hindrance, they displaced it to some other month by will that they brought here and went on with their plans so this was double displacement; Allah disapproved of this practice (that was termed as NASI) and it is notable that the year when the Prophet PBUH performed the HAJJ, every month was at its place in perfect order; since then, they have remained at their order and change is disallowed in them as the commands of Allah about SAUM and HAJJ and even others relate to these lunar months; the Muslims have the responsibility to see that the lunar calendar remains intact so that they keep their practice upon Islam totally intact; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT indicates that NASI (the postponing of the sacred month) only adds to their disbelief, and with it those who disbelieve are led more astray; they violate its sanctity one year and keep it sacred at another so that they may give the impression that they have fulfilled the number (of months) that Allah has made sacred but this attitude only violates what Allah has made sacred; their wrong-doings seems fair to them but this is so that Allah does not guide the disbelieving people; Allah certainly has all authority over all things; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-33 of TAUBAH
Note that ADL (the attitude of Justice) is related mostly to the Man while EHSAAN (the attitude of doing good without any outside pressure but by inner inclination only) is related mostly to the Woman; Al-Hamdu Lillah; today the betterment of the situation needs much of the betterment of women that they come to practice the Islamic Values as the Satan is trying his level-best to tempt the women-folk, especially the Muslim women-folk, to challenge the Islamic values in these present times and EHSAAN is the right keyword to call the women-folk towards the Islamic values; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that there was JAHILIYYAT (the era that had the darkness of ignorance) at Arabia when the last of Messengers Muhammad PBUH came to them and that went away as the light of the Quran (that is the light from Allah that He has provided to the mankind) went on spreading there; Allah sent the Prophet PBUH into them with the true guidance (that is the Quran) and with the true code of life (that are the fundamental teachings of Islam that all the Messengers of Allah have provided to the mankind by the command of Allah) and He tells all the peoples of the world that this code of life would achieve manifest supremacy (when the Muslims do adhere to it in practice fervently) as it rises to height over all other codes; note that the Word of Allah (that is Islam) already has the supremacy over all the words even now yet it would achieve manifestation in practice totally though the disbelievers, particularly the polytheists, detest its practical supremacy at the world; it was by ADL then as the SAHABA challenged the world by the will of Allah and spread Islam all over the known world after Muhammad PBUH; they asked the disbelievers to accept Islam but as Islam has allowed the Muslims clearly, they gave them the option if they do not accept it then they shall strike the treaty of peace with the Muslims or/and agree to pay JIZYA; if they do not even do that then they shall come at the battlefield so as the last option, the sword may decide the difference between them; as the force of Allah, the Muslims would see that the authority of Allah is not challenged and if the disbelief does survive, it does so with total disgrace; it is sad that the disbelievers do not understand Islam (and still they criticize its teachings they get at face) or else they at-least would have told the Muslims that they are still considering the teachings of Islam and that would have bound the Muslims to give them all the space they need (and it would have much relaxed the liability of the Muslims to challenge them at necessity) unless the Muslims themselves had marked the end of this space by their own-selves; so the significant issue here is that though the Muslims have the utmost liability to provide the fundamental teachings of Islam to all the peoples of the world and that provision relaxes it, yet when there are such disbelievers at the world that challenge the Truth in such manner that it does not practically manifest at the world then they would ultimately need to take-up even the fight against them where necessary; note that providing of the Truth to all peoples of the world, then asking the disbelievers (if they do not accept it) for the clear peace-treaty with or without JIZYAH (so that they do not remain any challenge to the true Muslims and to the fundamental teachings of Islam), then even to fight them at the battlefield i.e. QITAL if they do not comply to this demand, all are included in the term JEHAD; it also denotes to speak the truth according to the Quran at most adverse situations at the environment in which the Muslim person lives to make things better by his total attention towards Allah (that is included in TABLIGH) and to fight the desires inside at the individual level that ask him to challenge Islam in his practice but he resists all such satanic temptations by his total attention towards Allah (that also is named as MUJAHIDA); though QITAL (that also is included in JEHAD) is the ultimate outcome when the Muslims provide the Islamic teachings and that arises some of the disbelievers to challenge Islam in all manners to resist its practice yet in these current times, this JAHILIYYAT that we see around is even more dangerous than before as the first one did not have many of satanic concepts behind it yet this one has satanic concepts in different walks of life that it is presenting in an organized manner and also appreciating its forced practice at places without any care to morality; as there seems little if any chance for the disbelievers to come to Islam in huge numbers (except if Allah wills) as of now and as it seems unfeasible for the Muslims to ask the disbelievers for any treaty of peace with or without JIZYA as of now, there remains to challenge the disbelievers by QITAL as the only option and that also is unfeasible as it certainly would cause the death of the most huge number of the most innocent persons by such challenge; so for now, the only genuine option for the Muslims at this issue is that they call Allah, the true Lord, by heart to better things by His absolute authority; He certainly is AZIZ (so He provides for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it) and He certainly is HAKEEM (so He shapes all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and it sometimes takes many years for us to see how things have turned favorably for Islam practically); see also the note at the fifteenth Ruku of BAQARAH for AAYAT-129; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the satanic concepts of this second JAHILIYYAT ask that the Muslims keep the matter of their belief limited to their own individual selves and there, it must remain without asking for any good morality at the environment as the Man is but an animal; these two things that are the satanic concept of secularism that asks not to mention the true authority of Allah at the collective level so that the Satan finds ways to take the hold of the life at the collective level and the satanic concept that the Man is but an animal only that asks to let the animal desires come at fore at the individual level so that the Satan finds ways to take hold of the life at the individual level, are the two most dangerous things to Islam as the former stops the virtues to spread on and the latter asks for the practice of vices without any challenge to them; if the Muslims study the teachings of the renowned professors at the west, they would see that some have presented him as bound to his sexual drive, some have taken him as the caretaker of his territory and he would destroy all those most ferociously without any rhyme or reason who challenge his authority there if he is able to do so; some have taken him as adherent only to his economic necessities to which he would remain totally concerned; some have left even the minimum care to morality declaring that the Man is one of the descendants to animals and as such, nothing but an animal himself; these foolish renowned professors at the west include other of such persons too who have other of such concepts that present him as nothing but an animal and this tells that there is undoubtedly some problem at their psyche in general (so they fear each other intently and fear the Muslims even more); due to this adverse psyche, even taxonomy as of now presents him as being one of animals as it does not have any regards to his spirit and due to this psyche, Allah has punished them by the problems that relate to animals that are the problems of hunger (the economic problems) and by the fear of each other; see Surah NAHAL-112 that is explicit on this; the Muslims certainly need to be extremely careful that they keep away from these foolish assumptions of the foolish professors of the west as they certainly challenge the Islamic good teachings head-on; note that Islam tells us that Allah has created the Man between the Angelic-Character and the Animal-Character so he has both the aspects in his Humane-Character; he must either live at the Angelic-Character by the spiritual development that is the asking of EHSAAN or either live at-least at the same Humane-Character at which he was basically born (named as FITHRAT) that is the asking of ADL; he must never live at the Animal-Character and the point to note here is that he is allowed by Islam to fulfill his physical needs up-to necessity by valid means according to the Islamic Viewpoint as that would let him remain on the Humane-Character with no adversity to that; strange it is that the western foolish professors ask him to live at only the Animal-Character that challenges all the good morality while they all consider the development of the bronze, copper, iron, wood and other of materials that the earth has provided them by the will of Allah, as the development of the Man; if this problem of their psyche in consideration would have remained to them only, its negative effect would have not reached to other of the peoples of the world yet with their rise, the problem has become manifold in its impression; however, the Holy Book Quran clearly indicates to us that if we go on presenting the true guidance i.e. the Holy Book Quran according to the SUNNAH of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH to clarify how the Man and the Woman would live upon Islam in all walks of life, that continuous effort in TABLIGH (that actually is related to JIHAD) would end this JAHILLIYAT insha-Allah as QITAL (that also actually is related to JIHAD) ended that JAHILLIYAT in the known world of yore and the Truth would manifest for certain all over the world totally even at these current times insha-Allah; note that Allah changed the world by ADL at those times yet He might change the world by EHSAAN now as the true Islamic teachings go on spreading all over the world that finish-off the impression of the Satan at the environment in these present times by His will; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we Muslims have to go for TABLIGH of the fundamental teachings of Islam collectively to all for the Guidance to the right path and for their practice in all fields of life now as we Muslims have this obligation collectively after Muhammad PBUH, the last of Messengers; AYAT-33 reads that -“He it is Who sent His Apostle with the Guidance and the true code of life, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions”- this has also come at two other places of the Holy Book Quran that are Surah Al-FATH-28 and Surah SAFF-9; may Allah guide all the peoples of the world towards the fundamental teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Sixth Ruku
38. O you who believe - What (excuse) have you that when it is said to you: Go forth in Allah's way, you should incline heavily to earth; are you contented with this world's life instead of the hereafter? But the provision of this world's life compared with the hereafter is but little.
39. If you do not go forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you, and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things.
40. If you will not aid him, Allah certainly aided him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us. So Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see, and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved; and the word of Allah, that is the highest; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.
41. Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know.
42. Had it been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed you, but the tedious journey was too long for them; and they swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would certainly have gone forth with you; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they most surely are liars.
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From here, the AAYAAT relate the battle of TABUK and its after-effects and this narration goes on to the last of the Surah; it is the area adjacent to Syria where HIRACLIUS, the Roman Emperor of that time, was present then; it is interesting to note that though HIRACLIUS was renowned for his intelligent war-tactic and he had one of the strongest armies at that time yet he avoided to fight the Muslims at TABUK when the Prophet PBUH himself headed the Muslims towards that place; his avoidance gave the message throughout the known world then that the Arab Muslims are no longer weak but they have changed to such formidable nation that are totally able to challenge any political power of the time; the Roman Emperor did not embrace Islam due to the love for his kingdom yet he feared that the Muslims would gain much of the area at Arab lands that is in the control of his empire; it is mentioned that he knew that Muhammad PBUH was truly the Messenger of Allah and if he fights the Muslims when the Messenger himself is at their command, he would certainly lose; his fear did come true when the Muslims got the control of Syria and other of the Arab lands that was in the control of the Roman Empire in the years ahead, especially by the war at YARMOUK; note that the Prophet PBUH had told the Muslims that they would conquer the Romans and even the Persians, the two formidable powers of that time and that happened within the few years of his death; YARMOUK proved to be the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire in all that territory that they never regained from the Muslims; the opening AAYAT at the Ruku asks the Muslims that had some reservations for TABUK, the reason for their avoidance of departure to TABUK; why they are pleased to prefer the life at the world over AKHIRAT while its assets are extremely meager in comparison to what they would receive at AKHIRAT if they adhere totally to Islam; if the Muslims do not go forth, Allah would punish them by some grave punishment even at the world and He would replace them by some other people that do His task and they would be unable to put any harm to Him; He certainly has everything under His control; Allah only is the true authority and He is leading the world as He wills; He had taken Bani-Israel as His force to keep to the fundamental teachings of Islam and to spread them and if they achieve authority somewhere, to implement His word there but they failed miserably so the Muslims were given the task; even among the Muslims, when some did slack in spreading of Islam as Islam asked of them, Allah provided other of Muslims the authority to take-on the work to spread the teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; if the Muslims do not stand by the Prophet PBUH at these trying times, they must remember that Allah had helped him when he was one of the two at the cave (the other was ABU-BAKR-RA at cave of THAUR and that time was when the Prophet PBUH had left with his good companion for Madinah so the disbelievers of Makkah were searching frantically for him and they almost had him); he had said to his companion not to worry as Allah is with them so Allah provided him tranquility and helped him by the forces that were unseen to them all; and He made the word of the disbelievers fall to the lowest (disgraced) position and the word of Allah remained the uppermost; certainly Allah is Mighty and Most Wise; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-41 commands the Muslims to go forth to face the enemy at TABUK, even if they are short of weaponry or loaded with that and fight against the enemy with their resources and with their manual power in the way of Allah; if they knew the true benefits of this, they would have said themselves that this certainly is better for them; note that TABUK was much far-away from Madinah and the temperature had risen much at Madinah though it was about the last decade of October; the notable thing is that though the opponent was the Romans yet the Muslims cared but little for their opponent as they had all TAWAKKUL (trust upon Allah) and with that, they had developed their martial skills to height; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Prophet PBUH usually did not disclose the destination when he led the Muslims and did not ask the compulsory participation in it of anyone yet TABUK was different as he told about it to all; each and every Muslim at Madinah who is able to fight would join in with awareness that it is the far-away TABUK that the expedition heads to and with the awareness that the force departs to challenge the Roman Empire; no doubts to it and that would bring the hypocrites known to all; the last AAYAT tells that there are such persons among the Muslims that had it been an expedition that got them the spoils of the combat early and a journey that had been short, then they would certainly have followed all the Muslims for their personal gains; from here till the last of the Surah, the mention of these persons that are given to hypocrisy, goes on but with AAYAAT that tell about the good traits of the true Muslims too in contrast; these persons that are given to hypocrisy need those gains due to their greed yet they also ask for convenience to get those by time and place; the fact of the matter is that this tedious journey was too long for them in time and place and they swear by Allah that if they had been able, they would certainly have gone forth with the Muslims; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they most surely are liars (so Allah would punish them when and where He intends); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Seventh Ruku
43. Allah pardon you - Why did you give them leave until those who spoke the truth had become manifest to you and you had known the liars?
44. They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil).
45. They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver.
46. And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it, but Allah did not like their going forth, so He withheld them, and it was said (to them): Hold back with those who hold back.
47. Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust.
48. Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (from it).
49. And among them there is he who says: Allow me and do not try me. Surely into trial have they already tumbled down, and most surely hell encompasses the disbelievers.
50. If good befalls you, it grieves them, and if hardship afflicts you, they say: Indeed we had taken care of our affair before; and they turn back and are glad.
51. Say: Nothing will afflict us save what Allah has ordained for us; He is our Patron; and on Allah let the believers rely.
52. Say: Do you await for us but one of two most excellent things? And we await for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or by our hands. So wait; we too will wait with you.
53. Say: Spend willingly or unwillingly, it shall not be accepted from you; surely you are a transgressing people.
54. And nothing hinders their spending being accepted from them, except that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Apostle and they do not come to prayer but while they are sluggish, and they do not spend but while they are unwilling.
55. Let not then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only intends to chastise them with these in this world's life and (that) their souls may depart while they are disbelievers.
56. And they swear by Allah that they are most surely of you, and they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid (of you).
57. If they could find a refuge or cave or a place to enter into, they would certainly have turned thereto, running away in all haste.
58. And of them there are those who blame you with respect to the alms; so if they are given from it they are pleased, and if they are not given from it, lo - they are full of rage.
59. And if they were content with what Allah and His Apostle gave them, and had said: Allah is sufficient for us; Allah will soon give us (more) out of His grace and His Apostle too; surely to Allah do we make our petition.
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This Ruku starts by the statement that though Allah provides the pardon to you O Prophet PBUH yet why did you permit them leave from attending TABUK (whoever asked for it) before it had become clear to you who is speaking the truth and who among them, are the liars; so this was the time when everyone would have seen the hypocrites most clearly; the persons who truly believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment would never ask you leave from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows the MUTTAQIN (those persons who have TAQWA to Allah); this is the attitude of the heart which means that all the Muslims must fear Allah that they do not get His displeasure by their sins becoming so sinful that they lose the chance to regain JANNAH and with that, they also must have such hope to Him that He would keep them safe from the Satan at all times and at all places; they believe in Islam with fervor without any doubts about any of its fundamental teachings and do all good deeds by SABR that is uncaring attitude towards the worldly possessions except for necessity and by SALAH that leads them to care totally for AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the six AAYAT ahead from AAYAT-45 explicitly tell about the persons that were given to hypocrisy and so they tried in all manners to avoid the participation at TABUK; the AAYAT says that these persons that ask the Prophet PBUH for the leave, are such persons who do not believe truly in Allah and the Day of Judgment and their hearts are in doubts about the fundamental teachings of Islam that have left them perplexed; if they really had intended to go forth at the expedition, they would have made some preparations to it but Allah did not like their participation at TABUK so He withheld them, and they were told to keep on sitting with women at home; if they had left with the Muslims at this expedition, they would have only tried to cause some trouble by seeking some dissension among the Muslims that might affect their belief and their deeds adversely; there are still persons among the Muslims who hear them caring for them but this is an unjust attitude for such person who incline towards them; and Allah knows all these unjust persons; they had sought for dissension among the Muslims before this expedition too and they had set plots against the Muslims until the truth came at fore (that is the ultimate defense of their-selves that the Muslims managed at UHUD by the will of Allah and especially the conquest of Makkah), and the commandment of Allah prevailed though they had highly detested that Islam gets the upper hand; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand AAYAT-49, note that among the persons who asked leave from TABUK, was such person too who gave the stupid excuse that as he is most inclined towards beauty so the Prophet PBUH grant him the leave from TABUK as the Roman women are most beautiful so he might fall in some FITNAH; the AAYAT says that he has already fallen into FITNAH (that actually means the most high challenge to the true belief and even to the righteous deeds at some time & place) and this tells that the true Muslim would not leave the virtuous act that is necessary for him on the assumption that he might fall into some extreme wrongful act so he would stop himself by SABR to all wrongs and do the virtuous deed by TAWAKKUL upon Allah; note that it means that the true Muslim person trusts Allah completely for the results but after doing whatever is possible for him at the time and place; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the hell-fire has seized such disbelievers in such manner that they do such tasks that leads them towards the hell-fire only; the AAYAT ahead tells that if the Prophet PBUH achieves some blessing, that grieves them and if he is touched by some trouble, they say that they already had been cautious in this matter and turn away and become happy; Allah gives the hypocrites the answer in the three AAYAAT ahead through the Prophet PBUH (all three start by the command for him to tell them); it says that O Prophet PBUH; tell them - Allah has already written for us Muslims whatever comes to us; He is the true Friend to us and upon Him only, the true Muslims must have TAWAKKUL-; this AAYAT is explicit on the belief in TAQDIR (destiny) that the Muslims must have in them for certain; note that everything is going on in the heavens and in the earth even by the doings of the Man according to the will of Allah (that is TAQDIR); the true belief in that keeps the Muslim person hopeful and he never gets depressed though he must provide to better his matters by his free-will without questioning TAQDIR as Islam asks to take-up belief in the will of Allah yet work for the pleasure of Allah with total TAWAKKUL over Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; O Prophet PBUH; tell them – do they await for the Muslims anything else but one of the two good things (that are the victory over the disbelievers or the SHAHADAT i.e. giving lives for Allah at the battlefield); but the Muslims await for them who have shown hypocrisy at this crucial time either the severe punishment from Allah directly or either He provides them that severe punishment through the hands of the Muslims; so they should go on waiting for the Muslims to get any one of the blessing and the Muslims also would wait for their total destruction -; Al-Hamdu Lillah; tell them – whether they spend anything willingly or unwillingly that seemingly is in the way of Allah, it shall not be accepted from them as most surely, they are the most sinful persons -; the remaining six AAYAAT of the Ruku tell about the attitudes of the hypocrites and how they are punished and how they might be able to remove the curse from them if they really intend for it; AAYAT-54 reads, “And nothing hinders their spending being accepted from them, except that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Apostle and they do not come to prayer but while they are sluggish, and they do not spend but while they are unwilling”; this implies that good deeds even if they seemingly are done for Allah, are not accepted when there is disbelief in Allah and His last Messenger; even their SALAH that they read seemingly for Allah was not by attention towards Him but they read it with laziness just to show that they are among the Muslims; let not their wealth and their sons excite your admiration as these are the very things (that they take their assets) that would prove extreme liability to them; by these, Allah intends to punish them in the worldly life as their obsession to amass wealth would keep them oblivious to AKHIRAT and as their sons would be such disobedient unworthy heirs to them that instead of providing any worldly gains, they would provide only losses to them and that would keep them in grief; Allah intends them to remain in these troubles that seize them until their death gets hold of them; it would happen that if they could remove their most heavy burden of engagement to amass wealth and if they could stop their sons from inflicting any losses to them, by getting some shelter even if that be some cave or be some place safe to enter then they would have rushed hastily to it; among them, are such persons who blame the Prophet PBUH on the distribution of alms so if they get from that as they wish, they are happy with him and if they don’t, they become angry; the last AAYAT tells how they could still better things for their selves; it tells them that it would have been much better for them if they were content with whatever Allah and His Prophet PBUH had provided them; this also implies that they would obey Allah and His Prophet PBUH without any complaints; if they do say with all good intentions that the care from Allah is sufficient for them then Allah will soon give them much more out of His grace and even His Prophet PBUH too will provide for them their needs by the will of Allah; they should remain most attentive only towards Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Eighth Ruku
60. Alms are only for the poor and the needy, and the officials over them, and those whose hearts are made to incline (to truth) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah and the wayfarer; an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise.
61. And there are some of them who molest the Prophet and say: He is one who believes everything that he hears; say: A hearer of good for you (who) believes in Allah and believes the faithful and a mercy for those of you who believe; and (as for) those who molest the Apostle of Allah, they shall have a painful punishment.
62. They swear to you by Allah that they might please you and, Allah, as well as His Apostle, has a greater right that they should please Him, if they are believers.
63. Do they not know that whoever acts in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, he shall surely have the fire of hell to abide in it? That is the grievous abasement.
64. The hypocrites fear lest a chapter should be sent down to them telling them plainly of what is in their hearts. Say: Go on mocking, surely Allah will bring forth what you fear.
65. And if you should question them, they would certainly say: We were only idly discoursing and sporting. Say: Was it at Allah and His AAYAAT and His Apostle that you mocked?
66. Do not make excuses; you have denied indeed after you had believed; if We pardon a party of you, We will chastise (another) party because they are guilty.
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The first AAYAT of this RUKU names the eight rightful persons to get ZAKAH (and from all other of SADAQAH that is the amount given in charity to the needy persons) to answer the statement of such hypocrites who blamed the Prophet PBUH on the distribution of SADAQAH; the mention of the hypocrites continues after this AAYAT in the Ruku to the last and beyond; note that ZAKAH is obligatory to pay so the Muslim person (who has most high amounts left with him even after providing for his necessities) would pay it to only the needy Muslim persons as the AAYAT-60 tells here though he might pay other of SADAQAH even to the non-Muslims if they are needy; note also that it is necessary that he makes the needy Muslim person owner of the ZAKAH that he has given to him; ZAKAH purifies the amounts that the Muslim person has more than his necessity (though those amounts must not be in extreme); in the Islamic teachings, it means to give the amount (that is the fraction of the total value of gold, silver, stocks in trade and cash amounts at hand) to the needy to purify his/her assets as this is the command of Allah; the command for ZAKAH as an obligatory matter came in the second year of the HIJRAH; in the same year, SADAQAH of FITR also became obligatory to pay for Muslims at the EID that comes after RAMADHAN; the command to keep SAUM in RAMADHAN also descended the same year; there are five very important questions in respect to ZAKAH that need answers; on what possessions must he pay ZAKAH, on what quantity of those must he pay it, when must he pay it, where must he pay it and how much of ZAKAH is payable on him; the Quran has guided to pay ZAKAH and Ahadith address these questions in detail for its practical application; the point of importance is whereas the Quran gives Islam in total for all times and all places in its text, Ahadith give it in total for all times and all places in practice; without addressing any minor difference, note for the first question that there are four things at possession that ask for ZAKAH; these are gold, silver, the stocks-in-trade and cash (and kind) as it represents gold and as it is the most acceptable medium of exchange in transactions; note also that gold and silver are always subject to ZAKAH in their own capacity in whatever form they are in possession and the surplus cash at hand and its like also have the same ruling as gold; an important point here is that the Muslim person would assess his share of stocks-in-trade and cash & kind involved at his business as a personal asset even though by the accounting viewpoint the business concern is a separate entity; note also that Sole-Proprietorship, and even Partnership, is fine but it is much better to avoid Joint-Stocks Company due to valid Islamic reasons but I, MSD, would not elaborate on this statement here except for the indication that in matters of ZAKAH, a person must have an acceptable information about the possessions he is paying the ZAKAH on at the specific date and his good control over those possessions on that specific date; for the second question, note that the amount on which the Muslim person becomes liable to pay ZAKAH is called NISAAB and by the amount that is reported at Ahadith, it is 87.5 grams of gold as of today and for silver it is 612.5 grams and even if the Muslim person does not have gold or silver up-to NISAAB individually but these both together amount to the value of NISAAB by the market-value of lesser valuable of the two in cash (that is the market-value of 612.5 grams of silver as of today) even then he would pay ZAKAH as the NISAAB completes even by addition; if all four are individually not equal to NISAAB, they all would be added and if they come to it, the Muslim person would pay the ZAKAH so if the value of any two of cash, gold, silver and stocks-in-trade (or any three of them or even all four of them) sums-up to NISAAB i.e. the market value of 612.5 grams of silver in cash, the person would pay ZAKAH; as for the questions when to pay ZAKAH and where to pay it, note that it is to be paid yearly by cash or kind and the Muslim person liable to it must specify some date of the year of Hijrah by his intention for his ZAKAH; mostly the wealthy Muslims set such date to be some specific day of RAMADHAN when there are very high returns to every good deed done; it must not be changed then except for some totally genuine reason; when the Muslim person has amounts equal to NISAAB at that specific date and also had NISAAB at that specific date the previous year, he would pay ZAKAH, no matter what has come and has gone in between upon his finances; he must care not to change his finances drastically by taking steps to it before that specific date when he really intends to pay; note here how important the intention is and it is said in one of the authentic Ahadith that surely, the deeds depend upon intentions; as to where it would be given, note briefly that it basically would be given to the poor and the needy and the AAYAT-60 here of Surah TAUBAH names eight of the rightful persons for ZAKAH; for the last important question, note that for the cash (& kind), gold, silver and stocks at trade, he would pay 2.5 per cent of the amount of them that results by the total of their value; however, the Muslim person has to pay amounts as his obligation on his cattle too that graze on its own and on his agriculture too at its harvest but not only their NISAAB, their mode of payment also is most unique; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT reads, “SADAQAH are only for the poor (who has no resources for his necessities) and the needy (who is short of resources for his necessities), and the officials over them (that are not given to corruption), and those whose hearts are made to incline (so that they accept Islam due to its care for them but at these current times, this is feasible only when extremely needed) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah (for TABLIGH and JEHAD that occurs as the defense for the practice of the Islamic teachings) and the wayfarer (the traveler who has spent his money with him and has become penniless with inability to call some of his amounts from his homeland); an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells that they say such things about the Prophet PBUH that offend him and among them, is their statement that the Prophet PBUH accepts any excuse that he is given (for the permission for absence from TABUK); O Prophet PBUH; tell the hypocrites – that if the Prophet PBUH hears their (lame) excuses, it is due to his leniency towards them and it is because of their benefit that he does not disclose their identity so that they still remain in the Muslims; he believes in Allah and believes in what the true Muslims state and he is most lenient to the true Muslims among all persons that claim to be Muslims; they should be mindful that all those would face extremely severe punishment even in this world who offend the respectable Prophet PBUH; they swear in their lies so as to please the Muslims yet they should have pleased Allah by truly believing in Him by the acceptance of His commands, and should have pleased His Prophet PBUH by obedience to him in their practice if they really were true Muslims; the AAYAT ahead asks if they are unaware that whoever acts in opposition to Allah and His Prophet PBUH, his eternal abode would be the hell-fire; that certainly is the grievous abasement at AKHIRAT; these hypocrites are always at stress that such Surah does not descend that tells about the matter at their inside so then all would know that they are actually disbelievers to Islam; O Prophet PBUH; tell them - go on mocking, surely Allah would bring forth whatever they fear so they would remain in extreme disgrace among all persons they reside with; when they say something that challenges Islam head-on and it does come at fore, they change that by saying that they stated all this in jest only and only with playing gestures; ask them – did they mean that they are mocking at Allah and His AAYAAT and His Prophet PBUH; note that to disrespect Allah or the Quran or the Prophet PBUH is certain disbelief of the most rude nature that offends the Muslims highly and the Muslims certainly would challenge all such persons in all the manner possible, who commit such act of disbelief; these hypocrites must not make such foolish excuses as they certainly have disbelieved after they had claimed that they had believed; if Allah does pardon a faction of them (by providing them TOFIQ to accept Islam truly), He shall punish severely the other faction directly or by the hands of the Muslims at the world, as they certainly are most guilty of the extreme disbelief; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Ninth Ruku
67. The hypocritical men and the hypocritical women are all alike; they enjoin evil and forbid good and withhold their hands; they have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them; surely the hypocrites are the transgressors.
68. Allah has promised the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the disbelievers the fire of hell to abide therein; it is enough for them; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have lasting punishment.
69. Like those before you; they were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children, so they enjoyed their portion; thus have you enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion; and you entered into vain discourses like the vain discourses in which entered those before you. These are they whose works are null in this world and the hereafter, and these are they who are the losers.
70. Has not the news of those before them come to them; of the people of Noah and Aad and Thamood, and the people of ABRAHAM and the dwellers of MADYAN and the overthrown cities; their apostles came to them with clear arguments; so it was not Allah Who should do them injustice, but they were unjust to themselves.
71. And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Apostle; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.
72. Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure; that is the grand achievement.
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The Ruku continues with the description of the hypocrites and this Ruku also states the traits of the good Muslims in contrast; the main feature of the hypocrites, men and women, is that they advise for the wrongs and forbid the righteousness and they withhold their hands i.e. they do not spend anything on the needy and they avoid JEHAD; they have forsaken Allah (and do not put His commands into practice that puts some burden to their-selves) so Allah has forsaken them (so He would not provide them tranquility in the world and at AKHIRAT, they would be severely punished); these certainly are the sinful persons; the AAYAT ahead implies that Allah has promised these hypocrites, men and women, and other of the disbelievers the hell-fire to abide therein; that would be the worthy punishment to them providing enough of that what they really deserve; and Allah has cursed them and they shall have the lasting punishment; these hypocrites are like those persons who were before them and were stronger than them and had more of possessions and more of sons than them; so they enjoyed their parts at the world at their times and the hypocrites also have enjoyed their parts at the world at these times, and the hypocrites too indulged in futile things as they did; their deeds have perished at this world and at AKHIRAT; and they certainly are the losers (as AKHIRAT truly matters where they would be the extreme losers when they would be entered into the hell-fire); AAYAT-70 reminds them of the nations that were destroyed even in the world too so if they want worldly benefits, that also they would be unable to achieve ultimately as to oppose any of Prophets when he is present in the nation and providing the message of Allah with all fervor, certainly leads the disbelievers ultimately to destruction; their deaths would certainly be violent and most untimely for their liking; it was not Allah that was unjust to them (as He never gives troubles to anyone unless his own belief and the deeds that he does, ask for that) so it is that they were themselves responsible for their destruction; certainly, Allah is truly Powerful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku tell about the true Muslims in contrast to hypocrites; they read, “And (as for) the believing men and the believing women (that are the true Muslims), they are guardians of each other; they enjoin the good and forbid evils and keep up SALAH and pay ZAKAH (while the hypocrites withhold their hands to say their SALAH in the proper manner that denotes that they have forsaken Allah and that is the reason they do not care about JEHAD and they also do not care to pay anything to the needy); the true Muslims obey Allah and His Prophet PBUH (so as for) these, Allah will show mercy to them; surely Allah is Mighty (so He would provide such ways at the world for them that they keep to the obedience of Allah in all His commands and practice them as His Prophet PBUH had directed) and He is Most Wise (so He would lead the world to such manner that they would find convenience in keeping to Islam); Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women JANNAAT beneath which flow the beautiful streams, to abide in them, and (also) goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is the goodly pleasure of Allah; that is the most grand achievement”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Tenth Ruku
73. O Prophet; strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.
74. They swear by Allah that they did not speak, and certainly they did speak, the word of disbelief, and disbelieved after their Islam, and they had determined upon what they have not been able to effect, and they did not find fault except because Allah and His Apostle enriched them out of His grace; therefore if they repent, it will be good for them; and if they turn back, Allah will chastise them with a painful chastisement in this world and the hereafter, and they shall not have in the land any guardian or a helper.
75. And there are those of them who made a covenant with Allah - If He gives us out of His grace, we will certainly give alms and we will certainly be of the good.
76. But when He gave them out of His grace, they became niggardly of it and they turned back and they withdrew.
77. So He made hypocrisy to follow as the consequence into their hearts till the day when they shall meet Him because they failed to perform towards Allah what they had promised with Him and because they told lies.
78. Do they not know that Allah knows their hidden thoughts and their secret counsels, and that Allah is the great Knower of the unseen things?
79. They who taunt those of the faithful who give their alms freely, and those who give to the extent of their earnings and scoff at them; Allah will pay them back their scoffing, and they shall have a painful chastisement.
80. Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them; this is because they disbelieve in Allah and His Apostle, and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.
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In the first AAYAT of this Ruku, Allah asks the Prophet PBUH to strive hard against the disbelievers especially the hypocrites; note that Allah has used the term that relates to JEHAD but here it does not mean QITAL as the Prophet PBUH never took-up that against the hypocrites while the Muslims in general are disallowed to name someone as hypocrite; note that it means to strive hard here against them taking such steps that they are unable to affect the Muslims adversely and remain cautious of their negative plans against the true Muslims; Allah has asked the Prophet PBUH explicitly to remain most strict in attitudes against the disbelieves especially the hypocrites; their abode is the hell-fire and that is the most evil destination; they swear by Allah that they did not speak the words that denote disbelief in them (though they claim to have accepted Islam), and they are most intent on causing troubles to the Muslims but they have remained unable to do it, and instead of showing gratitude to Allah because Allah and His Apostle enriched them out of His grace, they show ingratitude; if they repent, it would be good for them but if they turn back, Allah would punish them most severely in this world and the hereafter, and they shall not have on the earth any true guardian or any true helper; the next four AAYAAT (from 75 to 78) tell about a person that was among the hypocrites (and about all such persons who ask Allah for personal benefits taking an oath by the name of Allah that they would then remain one of the most charitable and one of the most virtuous persons but they do otherwise); this hypocrite person was TAHLIBA Ibn HATIB who asked the Prophet PBUH to make DUA for him to get huge amounts of money and swore by the name of Allah in front of the Prophet PBUH that he would remain one of the most charitable and virtuous persons afterwards; the Prophet PBUH told him not to put himself into such examination but he did not listen and persisted; the Prophet PBUH ultimately made DUA for him and soon he became one of the richest persons in Madinah with huge quantity of land just outside Madinah that had huge number of cattle there; he became oblivious of the Islamic commands and even became lazy to read SALAH that he used to read before though he was among the hypocrites and with that, he became extremely worldly and niggardly; so with the absence of SALAH, he became uncaring to AKHIRAT and with the absence of SADAQAH (amounts given in charity in which the most important is ZAKAH), he became totally attached to the worldly matters; Allah tells in AAYAT-77 & 78 about all such persons that Allah put hypocrisy as the consequence into their hearts till the day (of Judgment) when they shall meet Him because they lied even when they had promised in front of the Prophet PBUH that their intentions are most righteous; this means that they would never receive the good TOFIQ to repent and to become true Muslims, so that is to remain their worldly punishment and as Allah knows their hidden thoughts and their secret counsels, He would certainly punish them most severely even at AKHIRAT; note that TOFIQ means the effect of deeds that the good deeds bring more of them and the evil deeds bring more of them; among these hypocrites, there are such persons who blame the good Muslims who give huge amounts in SADAQAH (that was collected for the expedition of TABUK) calling them as show-off and the good Muslims who only have some small amounts to give into SADAQAH that they had earned by extreme labor mocking them as miserly and useless; note that one of SAHABA (the companions of the Prophet PBUH) by the name of ABU-AQIL-RA worked hard to earn some amounts of dates in return for it and gave half of it into the SADAQAH for TABUK; when the hypocrites mocked at this SADAQAH that the Muslims would win the war against the Roman Empire by this amount of SADAQAH, the Prophet PBUH asked the true Muslims to spread those dates all over the SADAQAH that was received then telling them that certainly these dates would bring the blessing of Allah to all of it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah does mock the hypocrites because He certainly would provide them most grievous punishment at their worldly lives and even at AKHIRAT; the last AAYAT of the RUKU tells the Prophet that even if he asks forgiveness for the hypocrites seventy times, Allah would not forgive them; as the words did not forbid him explicitly, the Prophet PBUH did ask Allah to forgive ABDULLAH ibn UBAYYE (who was the foremost character among the hypocrites) and even gave one of the KAMEEZ that he used to wear, as the wrapper to the body of that hypocrite when he died at Madinah so the AAYAT-84 at the next Ruku forbade him to ask for their forgiveness most explicitly; note that even with such care of the Prophet PBUH to one of the hypocrites due to the leniency in his good nature, that hypocrite still would be severely punished at AKHIRAT so it is the true Belief and the good deeds according to it (and that surely includes the obedience to the Prophet PBUH too) that count as that truly leads to TAQWA to Allah (the inner direction towards Allah) and that certainly is important at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Eleventh Ruku
81. Those that were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah's Apostle and they were averse from striving in Allah's way with their property and their persons, and said: Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat - Would that they understood.
82. Therefore they shall laugh little and weep much as a recompense for what they earned.
83. Therefore if Allah brings you back to a party of them, and then they ask your permission to go forth, say: By no means shall you ever go forth with me and by no means shall you fight an enemy with me; surely you chose to sit the first time, therefore sit (now) with those who remain behind.
84. And never offer prayer for any one of them who dies and do not stand by his grave; surely they disbelieve in Allah and His Apostle and they shall die in transgression.
85. And let not their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes to chastise them with these in this world and (that) their souls may depart while they are disbelievers.
86. And whenever a chapter is revealed, saying: Believe in Allah and strive hard along with His Apostle, those having ampleness of means ask permission of you and say: Leave us (behind), that we may be with those who sit.
87. They preferred to be with those who remained behind, and a seal is set on their hearts so they do not understand.
88. But the Apostle and those who believe with him strive hard with their property and their persons; and these it is who shall have the good things and these it is who shall be successful.
89. Allah has prepared for them gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them; that is the great achievement.
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The Ruku continues telling about the hypocrites and in the last couple of AAYAAT, it tells in contrast, about the blessing that the true believers receive from Allah; the first AAYAT of the Ruku tells that they are pleased to stay behind the Prophet PBUH and they detest to make JEHAD (in the meaning of QITAL) with their property and their persons in the way of Allah and even tell others not to leave Madinah for the expedition of TABUK in such high temperature of heat; tell them O Prophet PBUH that the heat of the hell-fire is even more high in temperature; only if they could understand what troubles they are putting their-selves into; the hypocrites think that the avoidance of JEHAD is better for them yet the Muslims must remain aware that the total absence of JEHAD would lead to their annihilation as there are such evil persons at the world who have given themselves to the Satan in such manner that he leads them to abuse their extreme worldly power against all good morality to consolidate their own evils of morality upon which he already has brought them; the better thing for the hypocrites is that they come to Islam and fight such evil power without any care to consequence and Allah would provide them all the safety at the world and the true success at AKHIRAT; if they do not come to Islam, then let them laugh all they like at the worldly life for they have to weep many times more when they would get their punishment at AKHIRAT; that surely would be the due consequence of all their doings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so O Prophet PBUH, if Allah brings you back to any party of them which asks your permission to go forth at any JEHAD, tell them most clearly that by no means shall they ever attend any JEHAD with you and by no means shall they ever fight the enemy with you; surely they had chosen to sit the first time at the most crucial time of TABUK, therefore they would stay behind now with those who remain behind at wars (that are the women, the children, the disabled persons); AAYAT-84 asks the Prophet PBUH never to make DUA to Allah (plea to Allah) for the forgiveness of hypocrites and never attend their burial; this tells that his attendance would lead the Muslims to take such persons as worthy of some esteem and that also tells that they do receive some of their punishment just as they are buried; the reason is that they had actually disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and they died in that extreme sinful state; AAYAT-85 is like AAYAT-55 of TAUBAH that we studied at its seventh Ruku so the note there suffices that Allah intends to punish them in the worldly life as their obsession to amass wealth would keep them oblivious to AKHIRAT and as their sons would be such disobedient unworthy heirs to them that instead of providing any worldly gains, they would provide only losses to them and that would keep them in grief; Allah intends them to remain in these troubles that seize them until their death gets hold of them; it would happen that if they could remove their most heavy burden of engagement to amass wealth and if they could stop their sons from inflicting any losses to them, by getting some shelter even if that be some cave or be some place safe to enter then they would have rushed hastily to it; the AAYAT ahead tells that whenever any Surah descends that asks to believe in Allah and to take-up JEHAD with His Prophet PBUH, those hypocrites that have resources to attend it, ask the Prophet PBUH their leave from it and ask with no remorse to let them stay behind with those that stay behind; they are pleased to stay with the women at homes and such seal is put on their hearts that does not let them understand the Truth as it is; but the Prophet PBUH and the true Muslims with him do take-up JEHAD by their properties and by their persons so for them are all of goodness; they certainly are the successful persons as the true success is of AKHIRAT only; it comes by the recognition of the only aim of life that is to worship Allah truly with total obedience to Him when the good person keeps to it in his good belief and in all his good deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah has prepared for all the true believers JANNAAT (the most beautiful gardens) beneath which flow the beautiful streams and that certainly is the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-81 of TAUBAH
It is significant that the Quran uses the terms according to their meanings yet in the context, they express their meanings by different manners and all these meanings are totally valid by Arabic; I, MSD, would insha-Allah provide how some word relates to its different meanings at the Quran yet with the advise to all those who study this Tafsiri-Guide to read my writing “the Expressions of Quran” too which also presents the different aspects by which the Quran provides its beautiful message at different places; here we see that the term JEHAD applies to the combat with the disbelievers while at AAYAT-73, it applies to striving hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites; it is used at both places in the meanings that ask the Muslims for practice; there are three sets of significant words at the Quran that are near in meaning to each other; these are Muslim and MOMEN (the Muslim and the true Muslim), QITAL and JEHAD (physical combat against the disbelievers and utmost physical/spiritual efforts against the disbelief), NABI and RASUL (the Prophet and the Messenger of Allah; the notable thing here is that Allah sends His Messenger to some specific nation); note also that the second term of all these words includes the first respective term at its fold so it is more significant than the first; it is possible that any of the terms in these sets is taken for its respective companion word wherever the text permits that and this needs good insight; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that in Surah YOUSUF (Joseph), there are the same words that occur by the literal sense and at other places in the same Surah, they have the specific meanings (and these specific meanings are the righteous meanings that agree with Islam); for the clarification of this statement, I, MSD, would give the example from Surah YOUSUF where the literal meanings of these important words are connected to Egyptians while the specific meanings guide towards the righteousness; these include the word RASUL (means the messenger in literal sense and it denotes any of the Messengers of Allah specifically); AAYAAT (means the signs in the literal sense and it denotes the signs/miracles of Allah specifically, and AAYAAT are also the verses of the Quran specifically); DEEN (means the practical system of life in the literal sense and it denotes Islam that is the righteous DEEN i.e. the righteous system of life to practice specifically); RABB (of any person - means the owner of that slave-person in the literal sense and it denotes Allah, the true Lord, specifically); consider AAYAT-50 and AAYAT-110 where AAYAT-50 reads, “And the king said - bring him unto me - and when the messenger (in the literal sense) came unto him, he (Joseph) said - return unto your RABB (in the literal sense) and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands - my RABB (i.e. Allah, the true Lord) knows their guile” and AAYAT-110 reads, “until when the Messengers (in the specific meaning) despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, Our help came to them and whom We pleased was delivered; and Our punishment is not averted from the guilty people”; consider AAYAT-35 and AAYAT-1 where AAYAT-35 reads, “then it occurred to them after they had seen the AAYAAT (in the literal sense) that they should imprison him till a time” and AAYAT-1 reads, “Alif-Lam-Ra - these are the AAYAAT (in the specific meaning) of the Book that makes (things) manifest”; consider AAYAT-76 and AAYAT-40 where AAYAT-76 reads, “so he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother's sack; thus did We plan for the sake of Yusuf; it was not (lawful) that he should take his brother under the DEEN (in the literal sense) of king unless Allah pleased; We raise the degrees of whomsoever We please, and above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-knowing one” and AAYAT-40 (where Yusuf-AS speaks to his mates at the jail for TABLIGH) reads, “you do not serve besides Allah but names which you have named, you and your fathers - Allah has not sent down any authority for them; judgment is only by Allah; He has commanded that you shall not serve aught but Him; this is the righteous DEEN (in the specific meaning) but most people do not know”; consider AAYAT-50 that reads, “And the king said - bring him unto me - and when the messenger (in the literal sense) came unto him, he (Joseph) said - return unto your RABB (in the literal sense) and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands - my RABB (i.e. Allah, the true Lord) knows their guile” so this single AAYAT has the term in both the literal sense and in the specific meaning; it actually implies that the JINN and the mankind, the two of the creation of Allah that only have the free-will, must obey Allah in all walks of life for He truly is their RABB; Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN; note that YAUMUD-DEEN as it comes at Surah FATIHA, is the day when the true system of life that Allah has set for the mankind (and even the JINN) would manifest i.e. the Day of Judgment that is the first day of AKHIRAT which is of one thousand years by our count and in it, every person would receive that to which he had worked at the worldly life; there are other words too that have high significance in understanding of the Quran that have been used in different of its good meanings at different places that especially include KITAB (i.e. Book and it means at places the Quran and even Torah and even the LOHE-MAHFUZ i.e. the book of Allah that have all things written in it; it also means the commands of Allah and even the Surah in which the word is placed and this tells that the context for it and for other such significant words is most important in getting the meaning of the word) and also include WAHI (the revelation that Allah provides to the Messengers whereas it also means some natural direction that He puts inside any of His creation); due to the difference in meanings by the context, the Muslim person who takes-up TAFSIR must have the awareness of how the ancient good students and the recent good students of TAFSIR have interpreted AAYAAT that have such words; please note that even the text of the Quran has utmost significance in getting to its message so when the Muslim person (who has studied Islam with fervor) takes-up TAFSIR, he would have total attention towards Allah and he would ask for mercy from Him before he asks for any blessing from Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Twelfth Ruku
90. And the defaulters from among the dwellers of the desert came that permission may be given to them and they sat (at home) who lied to Allah and His Apostle; a painful chastisement shall afflict those of them who disbelieved.
91. It shall be no crime in the weak, nor in the sick, nor in those who do not find what they should spend (to stay behind), so long as they are sincere to Allah and His Apostle; there is no way (to blame) against the doers of good; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful;
92. Nor in those who when they came to you that you might carry them, you said: I cannot find that on which to carry you; they went back while their eyes overflowed with tears on account of grief for not finding that which they should spend.
93. The way (to blame) is only against those who ask permission of you though they are rich; they have chosen to be with those who remained behind, and Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they do not know.
94. They will excuse themselves to you when you go back to them. Say: Urge no excuse, by no means will we believe you; indeed Allah has informed us of matters relating to you; and now Allah and His Apostle will see your doings, then you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.
95. They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them so that you may turn aside from them; so do turn aside from them; surely they are unclean and their abode is hell; a recompense for what they earned.
96. They will swear to you that you may be pleased with them; but if you are pleased with them, yet surely Allah is not pleased with the transgressing people.
97. The dwellers of the desert are very hard in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more disposed not to know the limits of what Allah has revealed to His Apostle; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
98. And of the dwellers of the desert are those who take what they spend to be a fine, and they wait (the befalling of) calamities to you; on them (will be) the evil calamity; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
99. And of the dwellers of the desert are those who believe in Allah and the latter day and take what they spend to be (means of) the nearness of Allah and the Apostle's prayers; surely it shall be means of nearness for them; Allah will make them enter into His mercy; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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The Ruku is mostly related to the dwellers of the desert at Arabia who also were asked to join the expedition of TABUK; the opening AAYAT of the Ruku states that many of them came to Madinah to ask the Prophet PBUH for leave from the expedition; it tells that those who had spoken lies to get the leave would receive most severe punishment in the worldly life and at AKHIRAT if they remain to disbelief till their deaths; however, there is no blame to those who really are weak and to the invalid and to such persons among them who really do not have the proper resources for the expedition when they are most sincere to Allah and His Messenger PBUH; there would be no blame on those who truly are virtuous Muslims; and Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; there is no blame even upon those who come to you O Prophet PBUH so that you may provide them some animal to ride for this long route and you tell them that there is nothing of that sort with me; so they turn away with tears in their eyes due to agony that they do not have this much even, to spare on JEHAD at this crucial time; the blame is upon those who have the resources and they still ask the Prophet PBUH for leave from TABUK; they are pleased to stay with the women at homes and Allah has sealed their hearts so they do not understand the Truth and so they do not get to know the consequence of this avoidance at their worldly lives and at AKHIRAT; in the dwellers of the desert, there are two groups so among them are such persons who would swear to you O Prophet PBUH, as you return to them, on their excuses so tell them that the Muslims would not accept their lame excuses as Allah has informed the Muslims (through the Prophet PBUH) all about them; so now Allah would see their deeds and the Prophet would too (till the time he is at the world) and if they do develop some sincerity to Allah and His Prophet PBUH, then as they are returned to Allah Who is the Knower of all the unseen and all the seen, He would tell them of all their doings there at AKHIRAT; and among them are such persons too who would very soon swear to you O Prophet PBUH, as you return to them so that you ignore them on their wrong-doing; they are fully conscious that they would be asked upon the wrong that they had committed (by not participating in TABUK) so ignore them as they are impure inside and their abode is the hell-fire; that is the worthy return for them to what wrongs they had earned; they would swear because they intend that all you Muslims remain pleased with them but even if you do, Allah is not pleased with such sinful persons; they should have tried to please Allah rather than any other and so He would punish them severely; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-97 states that “the dwellers of the desert (that disbelieve) are very hard in disbelief and hypocrisy (as they take the deeds that are easy to them or beneficial to their worldly lives but leave the hard ones), and more disposed not to know the limits of what Allah has revealed to His Apostle (so they do not understand the integrity of the commands of Allah); and Allah is Knowing (of all that is at their insides), Wise (so He gives them space to better themselves or to lose all the chance to their safety)”; the last couple of AAYAAT here tell again about the different dwellers of the desert so among them are those who take what they spend as some fine (i.e. stressful duty) to pay , and they await calamities to come to the Muslims (so that they would become free of payments); on them is the evil calamity (as the detestation they have for the Muslims keeps them tense); and Allah is Most Hearing (of their secret consultations) and Knowing (of their insides); among them are such good persons too who believe in Allah and AKHIRAT and they spend whatever is possible for them to get the nearness of Allah by DUA (plea to Allah) that the Prophet PBUH makes for them; it shall become the means of nearness to Allah for them and Allah would make them enter into His mercy; surely Allah is Forgiving (of their wrongs by their lack of knowledge) and Merciful (so He would provide them space to better themselves by their good deeds to compensate for their wrongs); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Thirteenth Ruku
100. And (as for) the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansaars, and those who followed them in goodness, Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them for ever; that is the mighty achievement.
101. And from among those who are round about you of the dwellers of the desert there are hypocrites, and from among the people of Medina (also); they are stubborn in hypocrisy; you do not know them; We know them; We will chastise them twice then shall they be turned back to a grievous chastisement
102. And others have confessed their faults, they have mingled a good deed and an evil one; may be Allah will turn to them (mercifully); surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
103. Take alms out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby, and pray for them; surely your prayer is a relief to them; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
104. Do they not know that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms, and that Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful?
105. And say: Work; so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Apostle and the believers; and you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.
106. And others are made to await Allah's command, whether He chastise them or whether He turn to them (mercifully), and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
107. And those who built a MASJID to cause harm and for disbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Apostle before; and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars.
108. Never stand in it; certainly a MASJID founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are men who love that they should be purified; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
109. Is he, therefore, better who lays his foundation on fear of Allah and (His) good pleasure, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the fire of hell; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.
110. The building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of disquiet in their hearts, except that their hearts get cut into pieces; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
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The first AAYAT of the RUKU tells the virtues of SAHABA (the companions of the Prophet PBUH) that were those who comprised of MUHAJIR and ANSAAR; they had come early to Islam and so they were among the foremost of the Muslims; note that the MUHAJIR were those who migrated to Madinah from Makkah while ANSAAR were the basic residents of Madinah; Hijrah (migration) to Madinah was necessary for the Muslims but after their conquest of Makkah at the 8th year of Hijrah, it did not remain necessary on them; the AAYAT also tells them as virtuous who followed these foremost among SAHABA, that came to Islam later on yet showed high sincerity to it and it also tells that Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him; and He has prepared for them JANNAAT beneath which flow the beautiful streams, to abide in them for ever so that certainly is the most prominent success; the AAYAAT ahead tell more about the different hypocrites; they tell that among those dwellers of the desert that live near to Madinah, there are hypocrites, and from among the people of Medina (also); they are most stubborn in their hypocrisy yet even you O Prophet PBUH, do not know them but Allah knows them and He will chastise them twice (that would be at their worldly lives and at their lives that relates to their graves); note that Ahadith have explicitly told about the peace or the chastisement at the life that relates to the grave yet seemingly the chastisement there is much long in time for the few most wrong persons by the will of Allah but very short in time for others by the will of Allah so after that, they would remain dead only, till the day when Allah would raise all persons from dead (i.e. the Day of Judgment) and the most sinful persons among the hypocrites would then receive the most grievous chastisement at AKHIRAT; consider MOMEN-46 that reads, “they (Pharaoh and his people) shall be brought before the fire (every) morning and evening and on the day when the hour shall come to pass, (Allah would command to) make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest chastisement”; note that the persons at extreme peace would receive their reward of tranquility at their lives that relate to the grave seemingly for some of time as Allah wills and then they would remain at the sleep of the dead as Ahadith are explicit on that too, till the Day of Judgment; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead says that there are still others of hypocrites who have confessed their faults, they have mingled a good deed (that is they have repented truly on their absence from TABUK) and an evil one (that is the absence from TABUK); AAYAT-102 mentioned them in the good manner and that was taken as the acceptance of their asking for pardon as it says that surely Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful; the AAYAT ahead asks the Prophet PBUH to take alms out of their property and cleanse them of sins that they have done in the past and then purify them from the base worldly desires so that they remain the righteous Muslims thereby, and make DUA for them as Allah only has all true authority; surely your DUA is relief to them as they come truly to Islam; and Allah certainly is Most Hearing (of their repentance) and Most Knowing (of their hearts); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-104 tells that Allah accepts repentance from His servants when they are truly remorseful and takes the alms from them so that they learn to spend in the way of Allah and keep away from the base desires by the development of benevolence in them, and that Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy) and Merciful; and O Prophet PBUH, tell them to gather the good deeds so Allah will see their work and (so will) His Prophet PBUH and even the believers; and they all would be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen at the Day of Judgment so they should never incline towards hypocrisy but remain truly the good Muslims, then He will certainly inform all of them, whatever they used to do; Al-Hamdu Lillah; to understand AAYAT-106, note there were three other men besides those whom the previous AAYAT mentioned, who were among the Muslims but they had not gone at the expedition of TABUK due to their slackness and they had also accepted their wrong clearly; due to this absence from TABUK, this AAYAT cites them in mentioning the hypocrites to whom the Muslims took-up the social boycott on the command of the Prophet PBUH until some clear indication comes from Allah; this AAYAT reads, “and others are made to await Allah's command, whether He chastise them or whether He turn to them (mercifully), and Allah is Knowing, Wise”; the repentance of these three was accepted after fifty trying days for them that our study would read at the last of the next Ruku insha-Allah; the last four AAYAAT from 107 to 110 tell about the MASJID that the stubborn hypocrites had built (it was named as DHIRAR i.e. it was established by the intention to harm the Muslims by making it the base for the hypocrites) so whereas Allah provided mercy to the previous persons that did not attend TABUK yet they were truly repentant on that, He told about these extremely sinful hypocrites that they would not remain at peace even at the world (and they would undoubtedly be the extreme losers at AKHIRAT); note that there were two tribes AUS and KHAZRAJ at Madinah that had extreme enmity among them and used to fight each other fiercely on petty issues; when Islam came to Madinah, they both accepted Islam and renounced their differences and they were named together as ANSAAR (i.e. helpful persons as they helped intently the MUHAJIR that came from Makkah); there was a monk there at Madinah who was named ABU-AMIR RAHIB who basically belonged to the tribe of KHAZRAJ yet he had taken up Christianity; he was held in high esteem by the KHAZRAJ and even AUS but with Islam getting hold there, he left Madinah and went to Makkah as he had extreme hatred for Islam; after HUNAYN, when the Muslims had established themselves in Arabia securely, he went away to Syria and it was on his advise from there that the hypocrites built MASJID-DHIRAR; the AAYAAT read, “and those who built the MASJID to cause harm and for disbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Apostle before (i.e. ABU-AMIR); and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars; (O Prophet PBUH), you shall never stand in it (for SALAH); certainly the MASJID founded on piety from the very first day (i.e. MASJID at QUBA, the place where the Prophet PBUH had stayed temporarily when he had come to Madinah at Hijrah) is more deserving that you should stand in it; in it are such men who love that they remain most clean (and Ahadith have mentioned in Tafsir to this that they cared highly for cleanliness after attending the call of nature); and Allah appreciates those who cleanse themselves; is he, therefore, better who lays his foundation on TAQWA to Allah and (His) good pleasure, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the hell-fire (so building of DHIRAR would undoubtedly lead the hypocrites to the hell-fire); and Allah does not guide the unjust people; this building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of anxiety in their hearts, except that their hearts get cut into pieces (i.e. up-to their deaths because of all their anxieties and at AKHIRAT, they would see what extreme anguish they have taken upon themselves); and Allah is Knowing (of their actual intentions) and Most Wise (so He directs the matters in such manner that they do not remain adverse to Islam)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; after Allah told about DHIRAR to the Prophet PBUH, he did not go there (though the hypocrites intended that he comes there after TABUK to read SALAH so that they may present it as some blessed place to the Muslims); he sent some of his SAHABA to demolish it and they burnt it down so the bad intention of the hypocrites only brought extreme infamy to them and it did not cause any harm to the true Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fourteenth Ruku
111. Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the INJIL and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement.
112. They who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers.
113. It is not (fit) for the Prophet and those who believe that they should ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even though they should be near relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are inmates of the flaming fire.
114. And Ibrahim asking forgiveness for his sire was only owing to a promise which he had made to him; but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted, forbearing.
115. It is not (attributable to) Allah that He should lead a people astray after He has guided them; He even makes clear to them what they should guard against; surely Allah knows all things.
116. Surely Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He brings to life and causes to die; and there is not for you besides Allah any Guardian or Helper.
117. Certainly Allah has turned (mercifully) to the Prophet and those who fled (their homes) and the helpers who followed him in the hour of strait after the hearts of a part of them were about to deviate, then He turned to them (mercifully); surely to them He is Compassionate, Merciful.
118. And to the three who were left behind, until the earth became strait to them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls were also straitened to them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him); surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku tells about the true Muslims and the next tells about their most significant traits; so the previous Ruku opened by noting the virtues of SAHABA among the true Muslims and here the opening AAYAT notes the virtues of the true Muslims in general; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it tells that Allah has purchased the persons and the properties of the true Muslims for the return of JANNAH to them; they fight in the way of Allah and they slay and get slain at the battlefield and though it is the credit transaction yet they would certainly get the return; it is the true word of Allah that He has provided in Torah and INJIL and the Quran, and who is more faithful to his commitment than Allah; so the Muslims would rejoice on the transaction that they have settled with Allah as that certainly is the most prominent success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT introduces the true Muslims as “they who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who keep away from base desires (particularly by fasting), who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah”; the first of them tells that for the true Muslims, the foremost of these traits is that they repent on their sins totally; then they surrender completely to Allah and accept Islam by heart; then they keep to praising Allah at all times and at all places by their words; then they care not to give-in to their base desires; then they keep their SALAH intact by the particular care to Ruku (i.e. the bowing down in it); and by the particular care to SAJDAH (the prostration in it); then they care to enjoin the righteousness and to forbid what is evil; then they care to remain firm to Islam in their belief and in all their good deeds; so these are the traits that bring them to the status of the true Muslims; the AAYAT says at the last of it - O Prophet PBUH – give the good tidings to the true Muslims that they certainly would receive JANNAH at AKHIRAT; Allah would certainly keep His word and He certainly has all the true authority; A-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells the Prophet PBUH that he would not make DUA for the forgiveness of the polytheists even if they are his near relatives after it is clear to him that they are the inmates of the hell-fire; after this direction, Allah tells about Abraham-AS that though he had made DUA for the forgiveness of his father yet it was because he had promised him that he would pray to Allah for that (see MUMTAHINA-4); but as he understood that his father certainly is the enemy to Allah (as he died on the disbelief), he stopped asking for his forgiveness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells about Abraham that he was very soft and much forbearing by nature; note that at the life of the disbeliever, it is fine to ask Allah that He guides him towards the right path but when he dies upon the disbelief, it is disallowed to ask Allah for his forgiveness; so Allah commanded the Prophet PBUH neither to ask Allah for the forgiveness for the hypocrites (AAYAT-84) nor for the polytheists (AAYAT-113); note also that some of his near-relatives had died in the state of disbelief and even though he also was soft by nature, he did not ever pray to Allah for their forgiveness; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah does not misguide any nation whom He has provided the true guidance by His will, until He clarifies all such things to them which they would avoid; then if they disobey, Allah gives them the punishment as He wills as He certainly knows all things; Allah certainly has the true authority over all the heavens and the earth and He truly gives life and death; no-one besides Him is the true Guardian and the true Helper to the Muslims so the Muslims would not fear anyone and do their tasks according to Islam with total trust upon Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-117 reads that “certainly Allah has turned (mercifully) to the Prophet and the MUHAJIRIN and the ANSAAR who followed him in the most trying times (after Hijrah and especially of TABUK) after the hearts of some of them were about to deviate (due to such trials though they did continue the expedition without complaints), then He turned to all of them (mercifully); surely to them He is Most Kind and Most Merciful”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the acceptance of TAUBAH (the repentance) of the three persons that had remained behind TABUK due to slackness and they were not hypocrites though absence from it at that time was considered as hypocrisy; the AAYAT reads, “and to the three who were left behind (and it also means the matter of whom was left to decide), until the earth narrowed upon them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls also narrowed upon them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him) with repentance; surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that these three were KA’AB ibn MAALIK, HILAL ibn UMAYYAH and MURARA ibn RABI and KA’AB has provided his narrative of that time that is recorded at Bukhari, the most authentic book of Ahadith; the salient features to it is that KA’AB had not departed when the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA had left for TABUK with the thought that he had got the fast ride that would get to the procession towards TABUK en-route; it happened that he slacked so much that one of those days he realized that even if he takes one of his fastest rides, he would be unable to get to the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA now; he came to know that the Prophet PBUH had asked some of his companions about him at TABUK and one of them had replied that his inclination to leisure has let him down but MUAZ ibn JABL, one of the prominent SAHABA, had defended him; now, as the Prophet PBUH and the SAHABA returned from TABUK, the hypocrites came at MASJID-NABAWI and gave their excuses; these three also came but without giving any defense, they accepted their wrong; the Prophet PBUH asked the SAHABA not to speak to these three and not to keep any relations to them until Allah gives the verdict in their case; so it was their social boycott and KA’AB tells that it was the most troublesome time where no-one answered to his SALAM even, and his near relatives even did not speak to him; note that for the worldly reasons, the Muslims are disallowed to end relations for more than three days yet they are allowed to avoid relations to someone if they have the valid reason by Islam; KA’AB still read SALAH at the MASJID-NABAWI and noted that the Prophet PBUH observed him at times though when he saw him, he turned his view away; the extreme trouble came when the ruler of GHASSAN sent a letter to him that he was most concerned at his discredit at Madinah so he ought to come at GHASSAN where he would find his true worth; KA’AB was most upset that the situation has become such that the enemy is taking him vulnerable to it and is thinking that he would give-in to this situation; he burnt the letter and ended the matter then and there; even more trouble was his thought that if he dies at this time, the Muslims might not read his funeral-SALAH to ask Allah for his forgiveness; it was after fifty days that AAYAT-118 descended upon the Prophet PBUH near to FAJR that mentioned that Allah has accepted the TAUBAH (repentance) of the three; two persons ran after FAJR, one riding and one on the foot, to tell him the good news in whom the one at foot ascended a hillock and screamed out from there that “O KA’AB – get the good news”; this call reached KA’AB even before the rider and he immediately prostrated to Allah to show his gratitude to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; as he came to the MASJID, everyone greeted him and all there were pleased at the acceptance of TAUBAH of the three; KA’AB took the oath at the time that he would never speak any lies whatever comes as speaking of the truth had given him the respect among his colleagues and had saved him from the punishment of AKHIRAT; he fulfilled the demands of his oath well till the last of his life; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Fifteenth Ruku
119. O you who believe - be careful of (your duty to) Allah and be with the true ones.
120. It did not beseem the people of Medina and those round about them of the dwellers of the desert to remain behind the Apostle of Allah, nor should they desire (anything) for themselves in preference to him; this is because there afflicts them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in Allah's way, nor do they tread a path which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they attain from the enemy what they attain, but a good work is written down to them on account of it; surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good;
121. Nor do they spend anything that may be spent, small or big, nor do they traverse a valley, but it is written down to their credit, that Allah may reward them with the best of what they have done.
122. And it does not beseem the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?
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The first AAYAT states an important thing that to achieve TAQWA to Allah, it is most necessary that the Muslim person is most truthful; it was the truth that saved the three of the repentant SAHABA though they had to bear some difficult times yet Allah accepted their TAUBAH; note that the hypocrites were extreme liars so the AAYAT implies that those who have accepted Islam truly, they would never tell lies to avoid the trial they must face so they would remain true to Islam even at the most trying times to them as lying is the trait of the hypocrites and not of the Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next couple of AAYAAT tell the significance of TABUK that whatever troubles, small or big, that the Muslims bore in that expedition led them to the highest of virtues; the AAYAAT read that “it was not proper for the people of Madinah and those round about them of the dwellers of the desert to remain behind the Apostle of Allah, nor should they desire (anything) for themselves in preference to him; this is because there afflicts them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in Allah's way, nor do they tread a path which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they attain from the enemy what they attain, but a good work is written down to them on account of it; surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of the good”; “nor do they spend anything that may be spent, small or great, nor do they traverse a valley, but it is written down to their credit, that Allah may reward them with the best of what they have done”; this was the crucial battle where each and every able Muslim of Madinah and even nearby, had to challenge the enemy head-on and at that time, the situation had turned into such issue that asked the Muslims necessarily to save the teachings of Islam without any care to their lives and to their properties; Al-Hamdu Lillah; however, there was some chance for the Muslims to consider that the ruling about TABUK tells that Allah asks all of the Muslims able to fight at the vicinity of any battle to necessarily take-up the combat against the disbelievers so the last AAYAT of the Ruku states explicitly that it is not proper for the true Muslims that all of them leave to challenge the disbelievers at the battlefield so the better thing is that some from them from each of the different localities go forth to challenge the disbelievers while the others of them study Islam so that they keep the Islamic teachings intact for practice, as for the defense of these only that the true Muslims challenge the disbelievers; the AAYAT reads, “and it is not proper for the believers that they should go forth all together; why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may apply themselves to obtain understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious?”; note that to fight against the challengers to Islam (QITAL) and to study the Islamic teachings well by all aspects to make its practice most easy (Islamic TA’LIM and TABLIGH), both of these are obligatory upon the significant number of the true Muslims for each of them respectively so that it suffices; so the true Muslims fulfill together the demands of the Islamic living by taking up both these matters that relate to the defense of Islam from the enemy that challenges the true Muslims by the physical force and that relate to its defense from the enemy that challenges them by the unjust reasoning with all their care only to the worldly issues; most certainly, each of them relate to JEHAD for the true Muslims and each of them expresses most clearly that Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
TAUBAH-The Last Ruku
123. O you who believe - fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).
124. And whenever a Surah is revealed, there are some of them who say: Which of you has it strengthened in faith? Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice.
125. And as for those in whose hearts is disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness and they die while they are disbelievers.
126. Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year, yet they neither turn (to Allah), nor do they become mindful.
127. And whenever a Surah is revealed, they cast glances at one another: Does anyone see you? Then they turn away: Allah has turned away their hearts because they are a people who do not understand.
128. Certainly, there has come unto you the Apostle from amongst yourselves; it grieves him that you should perish; ardently anxious is he over you; to the Believers is he most kind and merciful.
129. But if they turn back, say: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no god but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of the tremendous Throne.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku commands the Muslims to fight those disbelievers that are near to them in distance; note that at the battle in defense, the Muslims that are attacked by the disbelievers, would respond to their challenge with all the might they have; afterwards if they are not enough to answer them good, other of the Muslims nearby would join them to strengthen their power and if needed, then still others nearby would join the battle against the disbelievers that had challenged the Muslims; however, in the warfare at the current times, it certainly is moot point if the Muslims nearby to the battle need to join the battlefield and the better thing is that both the sides at the combat strike the most reasonable peace treaty as soon as possible; as for the QITAL that the Muslims take-up in attack upon the disbelievers, note that it needs conditions that we have seen at our study before (please see the note at 26th Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); AAYAAT-124 & 125 tell about the hypocrites that when the AAYAAT descend, they speak of them mockingly; Allah states their adverse remark and then answers them too; the AAYAAT tell that “and whenever a Surah is revealed, there are some of them who say -which of you has it strengthened in faith? -then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice; and as for those in whose hearts is disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness (inside; that is their disbelief) and they die while they are disbelievers”; so it is because of the disbelief of the hypocrites that they do not get any strength by the AAYAAT but the true believers do find strength in them as the AAYAAT make their study of Islam much better and even their practice upon Islam much better; note that the second AAYAT of ANFAAL reads, “those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His AAYAAT are recited to them, they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-126 points out that though they see this clearly by their eyes that each year, they are tried by some calamity or other once or twice yet they do not care to see by the spiritual insight that it is Allah Who is trying them; they actually are not prepared to give any attention to Him and in fact, they do not even try to realize that the calamities affect them because of their lack of the spiritual insight and that actually is the reason that Allah tries them in this demanding manner; AAYAT-127 tells their attitude at the gathering at the MASJID where the SAHABA sat to learn Islam from the Prophet PBUH; they look at each other when some Surah (especially the AAYAAT of TAUBAH) descends at the Prophet PBUH about what attitude they should take; so by their gestures, they leave the place unnoticed to plan more of their strategy against the Muslims; their negativity does not let them hear anything of Islam so that they might see what it has to provide to the mankind; Allah tells all of the mankind at AAYAT-128 that “there has come unto you the Messenger from amongst yourselves; it grieves him that you should perish; ardently anxious is he over you; to the Believers is he most kind and merciful”; what an idiocy of hypocrites that they turn away from this blessed gathering of the Prophet PBUH where they might have learned about Islam much and might have accepted its message; note that the words RA’UF (most kind) and RAHIM (most merciful) have been used as attributes to the Prophet PBUH in this AAYAT and the Quran has also used these words to denote the attributes of Allah but they certainly have significant difference; when they are mentioned for Allah, they tell that all His attributes are of Him from all times to all times (QADEEM) and all His attributes are His very own (ASL) and all His attributes are limitless (LA-MEHDUD); however, for the Prophet PBUH, though they tell about his most virtuous nature, Allah provided these attributes to him as bound by time and as much as He willed and as limited as He intended in their application; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT reads, “but if they (i.e. the hypocrites) turn back, say- Allah is sufficient for me (to save me), there is no god but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of ARSH-AZEEM (the tremendous Throne)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT mentions “the tremendous Throne” that is among those terms at the Quran for which we all would only say in clear terms that “we do believe and Allah knows better” so here also we must say it and praise Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells explicitly that if the hypocrites still want to turn away from hearing any of the Islamic teachings then O Prophet PBUH, tell them that Allah would save His Prophet PBUH from all their negative plans and from all their negative efforts and He certainly has all the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
www.saleemdada.weebly.com
Here our study of TAUBAH and “Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” (First Part) ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah - may Allah provide His mercy and His blessing to me on this effort to get His pleasure and to all those who study it well; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Friday - 1:40 PM
RABI-THANI-01, 1441
November-29, 2019