Verses 107–111
9. At-Tawba · The Repentance
Madinan129 verses
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًۭا ضِرَارًۭا وَكُفْرًۭا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًۭا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
9:107As for those who took to a mosque for sabotage and for defiance, and to cause division among the faithful, and for the purpose of ambush [used] by those who have fought Allah and His Apostle before—they will surely swear, ‘We desired nothing but good,’ and Allah bears witness that they are indeed liars.1
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌۭ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ
9:108Do not stand in it ever! A mosque founded on Godwariness from the [very] first day is worthier that you stand in it [for prayer]. Therein are men who love to keep pure, and Allah loves those who keep pure.2
أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍۢ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
9:109Is he who founds his building on Godwariness and [the pursuit of Allah’s] pleasure better-off or he who founds his building on the brink of a collapsing bank which collapses with him into the fire of hell? Allah does not guide the wrongdoing lot.
لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةًۭ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
9:110The building they have built will never cease to be [a source of] disquiet in their hearts until their hearts are cut into pieces, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةَ ۚ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ ۖ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّۭا فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِۦ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَٱسْتَبْشِرُوا۟ بِبَيْعِكُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَايَعْتُم بِهِۦ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
9:111Indeed Allah has bought from the faithful their souls and their possessions for paradise to be theirs: they fight in the way of Allah, kill, and are killed. A promise binding upon Him in the Torah and the Evangel and the Quran. And who is truer to his promise than Allah? So rejoice in the bargain you have made with Him, and that is the great success.3
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 107
1.Abu Aamer Rahib was a Christian of Medina. From the beginning, he was against Islam. When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) settled in Medina, he ran away to Mecca. When he (s.a.w.s.) became victorious in Mecca, he proceeded to Taif. People of Taif accepted Islam and he fled to Syria and wrote a letter to hypocrites: Build a mosque near the mosque of Quba and make it our headquarters. I am coming with a big army from Caesar of Rome. The people built a grand mosque and requested the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) for its inauguration and said, “It is near our houses and quite useful for the weak people.” The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) postponed this ceremony till his return from Tabuk and after returning demolished the mosque by the order of Allah - Be it known that people like Abu Aamer are born in every era and the mosques built by hypocrites are repaired in every era. The plan of destruction of Islam in the name of Islam is an old style of infidels. Alas! No one is there today to disclose this truth and there is further ruination of Islam in the name of Islam. If Allah wishes, the successor of Prophet (s.a.w.s.) will reappear from inscrutable veil of nature and disclose the truth again.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
The mosque indicated in 108th ayat is near the Masjid-s-Quba, as its foundation was laid on piety although there were other sacred mosques where the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) could offer prayer. There was no doubt about it.
- 1
This sentence is accusative to the foundation of religion. Zaraar: To recognise loss. lrsad: To wait and to prepare. Shafa: Edge Jarf: sloping side of the valley. Har: Weak, that which falls. This Zaraar mosque was made by the hypocrites near the Mosque of Quba. People wanted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) to inaugurate this mosque. But the Almighty commanded to destroy it.
- 2
Most commentators think that it refers to purification. Another possibility is that It could be referring to internal purification, that is Prayer itself.
- 3
Please note that if Allah promises reward He is bound to fulfill it and if He promises chastisement He has the right to forgive in all cases. It is not defect. Rather it is a positive quality.
Benefit
The turning down of Masjid-e-Zaraar and making it the garbage heap is not against the respect of a mosque. This actually tells us that it was not a mosque otherwise anything that resembles a mosque will be called a Masjid.