Verses 100–106
9. At-Tawba · The Repentance
Madinan129 verses
وَٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَٰنٍۢ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
9:100The early vanguard of the Emigrants and the Helpers and those who followed them in virtue—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them forever. That is the great success.1
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
9:101There are hypocrites among the Bedouins around you and among the townspeople of Madinah, steeped in hypocrisy. You do not know them; We know them, and We will punish them twice, then they shall be consigned to a great punishment.23
وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا۟ عَمَلًۭا صَٰلِحًۭا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ
9:102[There are] others who have confessed to their sins, having mixed up righteous conduct with other that was evil. Maybe Allah will accept their repentance. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةًۭ تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌۭ لَّهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
9:103Take charity from their possessions to cleanse them and purify them thereby, and bless them. Indeed your blessing is a comfort to them, and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ ٱلتَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَأْخُذُ ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
9:104Do they not know that it is Allah who accepts the repentance of His servants and receives the charities, and that it is Allah who is the All-clement, the All-merciful?*
وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
9:105And say, ‘Go on working: Allah will see your conduct, and His Apostle and the faithful [as well], and you will be returned to the Knower of the sensible and the Unseen, and He will inform you concerning what you used to do.
وَءَاخَرُونَ مُرْجَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمْ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
9:106[There are] others waiting Allah’s edict: either He shall punish them, or turn to them clemently, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.*
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
The blessed verse of the Holy Quran has divided the world of Islam into four divisions (1) People who preceded towards migration and help of the Prophet. (2) Those who followed the foremost people. (3) Village hypocrite. (4) The cunning hypocrites of the town. After this are mentioned those, whose deeds were good and virtuous but did not attend the war of Tabuk and then came for repentance. Abu Lababa was one of these ten people who tied himself with the pillar of the mosque and after the revelation from Allah, the Prophet (s.a.) came and released him. He came and submitted all his property because he had prevented other people from war and the Prophet (s.a.) accepted the repentance by divine command. Be it known that migration or helping Prophet is not the guarantee that all sins are forgiven and they are licensed to commit as many sins as they want. As you sow, so shall you reap. They will be punished in any case. The whole Medina and its surrounding areas were full of hypocrites till 9th Hijri and the Tabuk Expedition; and it is a mystery where they disappeared after the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in 11 Hijri. And after the passing away of the Prophet (s.a.) how Medina became the capital of Islamic law and how all the companions began to be regarded as just.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
It must be clear that the words Muhajir, Ansar and Taabe are not used in terminological sense. These denote migrating in the way of Allah, those who give refuge to them and those who follow them. These terms are applicable for all times.
- 1
Those who leave their homes and emigrate to some other place for the sake of religion are known as Muhajir. Those who give refuge to Muhajireen are known as Ansar. Both of these are great distinctions and those who have performed these deeds before Islam or till the day of Qiyamat have indeed performed a praiseworthy deed. And those who follow them till the day of Qiyamat will also deserve the same rewards. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.
- 2
Marid: Evil and Cunning person. Usually a dweller of a city because those qualities are not so common among villagers.
- 3
The two punishments before the Hereafter are the degradation of the world and the chastisement of the grave or they could be death and the punishment of the grave.
Benefit
The 104th ayat mentions the acceptance of Tawba of those who repent openly and also give Sadaqah.
Benefit
The 106th ayat mentions those who did not do Tawba and did not give Sadaqah. They were always busy with enhancing their fame.