سورة التوبة   

Surah Name: At-Taubah Meaning: The Repentance

  • Revealed at Madinah
  • • It is also called Surah Bar'at (freedom from obligation) as it carries the injunctions that absolved the believers of the obligation to honour the Treaty they had with idolaters. Moreover it is called Taubah because it gives the glad tidings of the acceptance to penitence. In a way it is unique, as it does not begin with Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim (in the Name of Allah-SWT , the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful).Usually whenever Aayaat from a Surah were revealed at random, their correct place of insertion was also conveyed to the Holy Prophet-SW. He-SW would instruct the Scribes to record these accordingly. And whenever a new Surah was revealed he-SW would instruct them to begin it with Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim. Surah Taubah is amongst the last Madni Surahs revealed. It was revealed without the instructions to begin it with Bismillah. The Holy Prophet-SW also did not instruct the Scribes to write Bismillah, hence it is without the usual auspicious words.

    When the task of compiling the Quran was taken up in the era of Hadhrat Uthman-RAU, the question regarding the placement of this Surah arose, for it was quite possible that it may not have been an individual Surah but a part of the preceding one. Therefore, Hadhrat Uthman-RAU instructed the compilers to place it after Al-Anfal. This was the safest thing to do for the Holy Prophet-SW had not commanded to open it with Bismillah nor had he-SW implied that it was a part of Surah Al-Anfal, but had got it recorded contiguous to Anfal. The rules for reciting the Quran indicate that anyone who while reciting Surah Anfal moves on to Surah Taubah need not recite Bismillah. However, if the recitation is initiated from this Surah or from any part of it, Bismillah must be recited. The other opening expressions for Surah Taubah as stated in certain manuscripts of the Quran, such as. A auz Billah min nar wa min Ghadhab al Jabbar etc. (I seek Allah’s-SWT ’ Protection against fire and the fury of the tyrants etc.) have no authentic backing Hadhrat Ali-RAU reports that since the Surah revealed the Divine Command for the cancellation of the Treaty with the infidels, it did not open with Bismillah. This may have been a subtle reason, which has not been discretely told.

  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 16
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 129
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 9
  • Rukū / Section 9 contains Āyāt / Parts 6
  • Siparah/ Volume 10 & 11

bismillah

الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّن بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ نَسُواْ اللّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

Almunafiqoona wa(a)lmunafiqatu baAAduhum min baAAdin yamuroona bi(a)lmunkari wayanhawna AAani almaAAroofi wayaqbidoona aydiyahum nasoo Allaha fanasiyahum inna almunafiqeena humu alfasiqoon(a)

The hypocrites, men and women, are all of a piece, they bid what is disreputable and prohibit what is reputable, and they tighten their hands. They neglected Allaah-SWT and so He-SWT had neglected them. Verily the hypocrites are the ungodly ones.

(9:67)

وَعَدَ الله الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَالْكُفَّارَ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا هِيَ حَسْبُهُمْ وَلَعَنَهُمُ اللّهُ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ

WaAAada Allahu almunafiqeena wa(a)lmunafiqati wa(a)lkuffara nara jahannama khalideena feeha hiya hasbuhum walaAAanahumu Allahu walahum AAathabun muqeem(un)

Allah-SWT has promised the hypocritical men and women and to the infidels the Hell-fire, wherein they shall abide: sufficient is that unto them. And Allaah-SWT shall accurse them and theirs shall be a chastisement lasting.

(9:68)

كَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ كَانُواْ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرَ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلاَدًا فَاسْتَمْتَعُواْ بِخَلاقِهِمْ فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِخَلاَقِكُمْ كَمَا اسْتَمْتَعَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ بِخَلاَقِهِمْ وَخُضْتُمْ كَالَّذِي خَاضُواْ أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الُّدنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

Ka(a)llatheena min qablikum kanoo ashadda minkum quwwatan waakthara amwalan waawladan fa(i)stamtaAAoo bikhalaqihim fa(i)stamtaAAtum bikhalaqikum kama istamtaAAa allatheena min qablikum bikhalaqihim wakhudtum ka(a)llathee khadoo olaika habitat aAAmaluhum fee a(l)ddunya wa(a)lakhirati waolaika humu alkhasiroon(a)

You are like those before you: mightier than you were they in prowess and more abundant in riches and children. They enjoyed their portion awhile, so enjoy your portion awhile even as those before you enjoyed their portion awhile, and you plunged about even as they plunged about. Their works have come to nothing in the world and the Akhirah and they are the losers!

(9:69)

أَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ وَقَوْمِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وِأَصْحَابِ مَدْيَنَ وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَاتِ أَتَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Alam yatihim nabao allatheena min qablihim qawmi noohin waAAadin wathamooda waqawmi ibraheema waashabi madyana wa(a)lmutafikati atathum rusuluhum bi(a)lbayyinati fama kana Allahu liyathlimahum walakin kanoo anfusahum yathlimoon(a)

Have not come to them the tidings of those before them: the People of Nuh-AS and ‘Ad and Thamud and the People of Ibrahim-AS and the dwellers of Madyan and of the overturned towns? There came to them their Messengers-AS with evidences. So Allaah-SWT was not one to wrong them, but themselves they were used to wrong.

(9:70)

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللّهُ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

Wa(a)lmuminoona wa(a)lmuminatu baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin yamuroona bi(a)lmaAAroofi wayanhawna AAani almunkari wayuqeemoona a(l)ssalata wayutoona a(l)zzakata wayuteeAAoona Allaha warasoolahu olaika sayarhamuhumu Allahu inna Allaha AAazeezun hakeem(un)

And the believing men and women are friends to one another: they bid each other what is reputable and prohibit what is disreputable, and establish Salat and pay Zakat and obey Allaah-SWT and His-SWT Messenger-AS. Those! Allaah-SWT will surely show Mercy to them; verily Allaah-SWT is Mighty, Wise.

(9:71)

وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ أَكْبَرُ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

WaAAada Allahu almumineena wa(a)lmuminati jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu khalideena feeha wamasakina tayyibatan fee jannati AAadnin waridwanun mina Allahi akbaru thalika huwa alfawzu alAAatheem(u)

Allah-SWT has promised the believing men and women Gardens under which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide, and goodly dwellings in the everlasting Gardens- and goodwill from Allaah-SWT is the greatest of all-that is the achievement supreme.

(9:72)

In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

A human being is social by nature and likes to live in a community. Similarity the thought and temperament binds a community together. The hypocrite men and women are close friends to one another. Together, they encourage the spread of evil and conspire to impede goodness. They are totally paralysed as far as Jihad for the predominance of the Din is concerned, and it appears as if their hands are tied. There is no trace of Allaah-SWT ’s Remembrance in their hearts. They have indeed forgotten Him-SWT and in return Allaah-SWT has also forgotten them because of their disobedience and wickedness. Allaah-SWT has promised them the blazing fire of Hell forever and that will suffice them. It is a manifestation of His-SWT Wrath and an outright deprivation of His-SWT Mercy. Allah-SWT's condemnation of the non believers and the hypocrites is eternal and never ending.

Important Basis of Mutual Relations

The nations prior to Islam excelled those contemporary to it in terms of power and wealth. Unfortunately they gave in to their fancies and employed their resources and time to live a life of personal choice. However, their misconduct only dragged them to Allah-SWT's Wrath and their power and splendour would be of no avail to them. The infidels and hypocrites are adopting the same very behaviour as that of their predecessors. These indeed are Satan's tactics, that he makes people say such things and do such acts as said and done by people who were condemned to eternal abasement before them.

Even today some objections that people raise about Islam carry the hues of statements made by the non believers and the polytheists at the advent of Islam. This Ayah, in fact, is a warning for the believers, that whoever adopts the ways of the non-believers indeed has the traces of hypocricy and shall meet the same fate. Therefore, every Muslim must constantly check himself.

The infidels and the polytheists have surely heard accounts of the preceding nations, whether they were the people of Prophets Ibrahim-AS, Nuh-AS, Salih-AS and Hud-AS or of the famous towns of Madayn which were overturned. All of them had been guilty of the same crime; that when Allah-SWT's Messengers-AS came to them with clear Signs, they instead of believing in their Message, not only rejected but also impeded it. However, Allah-SWT, the Most Munificent never wrongs anyone, but the people wronged themselves and their misconduct drove them to destruction.

 

Mental Compatibility of Believers 

Similarly, the light of faith is also the source of establishing strong relationships. The believing men and women are compatible in their conduct and thoughts. They co-operate with each other to promote piety, and are equally concerned with the eradication of evil from the society. All of them establish Salat and sincerely worship Allaah-SWT . They do not indulge in cupidity but spend their riches in accordance with Allah-SWT's Command. They pay Zakat and put their optimum energy and sincerity into the obedience of Allaah-SWT and His-SWT Prophet-SW. They are the people, who shall be blessed with Allah-SWT's Mercy, notwithstanding the human shortcomings despite their best efforts. He-SWT is all Powerful and the Wisest and has promised the believing men and women a beautiful life, full of peace and tranquillity in the Akhirah. They shall dwell in lofty mansions amidst exquisite gandens, with rivers flowing beneath and shall reside therein forever. The greatest of all blessings will be that these fortunate dwellers will perpetually be blessed with Allah-SWT's Pleasure, which is indeed the real achievement. Just as His-SWT displeasure is the greatest of all punishments, being the root cause of them all, His-SWT Pleasure is the real success, for it is the source of all rewards.

In other words, mutual love amongst the believers is the product of faith. This feeling is almost non-existent today inspite of all claims to Islam, a factor worth contemplating for every Muslim.

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