Surah At-Tawbah (9)

سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ

Ayāt 25 to 29

لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِیْ مَوَاطِنَ كَثِیْرَةٍ ۙ وَّ یَوْمَ حُنَیْنٍ ۙ اِذْ اَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنْكُمْ شَیْـًٔا وَّ ضَاقَتْ عَلَیْكُمُ الْاَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّیْتُمْ مُّدْبِرِیْنَۚ۝۲۵ ثُمَّ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَكِیْنَتَهٗ عَلٰی رَسُوْلِهٖ وَ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَ اَنْزَلَ جُنُوْدًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَ عَذَّبَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا ؕ وَذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكٰفِرِیْنَ۝۲۶ ثُمَّ یَتُوْبُ اللّٰهُ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ ذٰلِكَ عَلٰی مَنْ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِیْمٌ۝۲۷ یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا یَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هٰذَا ۚ وَ اِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَیْلَةً فَسَوْفَ یُغْنِیْكُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖۤ اِنْ شَآءَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلِیْمٌ حَكِیْمٌ۝۲۸ قَاتِلُوا الَّذِیْنَ لَا یُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ لَا بِالْیَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ لَا یُحَرِّمُوْنَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ وَرَسُوْلُهٗ وَ لَا یَدِیْنُوْنَ دِیْنَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ حَتّٰی یُعْطُوا الْجِزْیَةَ عَنْ یَّدٍ وَّهُمْ صٰغِرُوْنَ۠۝۲۹

 

Ayah 25:

لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِیْ مَوَاطِنَ كَثِیْرَةٍ ۙ وَّ یَوْمَ حُنَیْنٍ ۙ

Indeed Allah has given you ˹believers˺ victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Ḥunayn

As previously noted, this discourse, comprising the first, fourth, and fifth sections, was revealed in Zul-Qa`dah of 9 AH, after the Battle of Hunayn had occurred in Shawwāl of 8 AH.

اِذْ اَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ

When you took pride in your great numbers

Clearly, not all Muslims in the army were overcome with pride in their numbers. During the Battle of Hunayn, the Muslim forces numbered twelve thousand—a figure unmatched in any previous battle. Of these, ten thousand were those who had accompanied the Prophet ﷺ  during the conquest of Makkah, while two thousand joined from Makkah itself. Most of these new additions were recent converts to Islam following the conquest. It is also possible that some were still polytheists who, as subjects of the Muslim state, joined the army in roles such as auxiliaries or servants.

 

 

The expedition targeted the tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf,who resided in Tā`if and its surrounding fertile valleys. Despite their smaller numbers and modest weaponry, the Muslims had previously triumphed over much larger and better-equipped forces of disbelievers. However, on this occasion, emboldened by their numerical strength, some Muslims expressed overconfidence, declaring, “Today, no one can overcome the Muslims!”

Meanwhile, the tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf had strategically positioned their highly skilled archers on the surrounding hills and ravines, fortifying key locations. As the Muslim army entered the valley of Hunayn, these archers unleashed a relentless barrage of arrows from elevated positions. With arrows raining down from both sides, the Muslims, caught in the low ground, were thrown into chaos. The unexpected assault caused panic within the ranks. As the vanguard retreated in disarray, they inadvertently swept others back with them.

Some narrations state that, at one point, only 30 or 40 companions remained with the Prophet ﷺ. Allāma Shibli رحمة الله عليه  recorded this figure in his Sīrat-un-Nabī ﷺ. However, his student, Syed Sulaiman Nadwi رحمة الله عليه, later offered a differing opinion, suggesting that 300 or 400 individuals stayed with the Prophet ﷺ. Even so, in an army of 12,000, having only 300 or 400 remain was no small matter.

 

In this critical moment, the Prophet ﷺ dismounted his steed, took the banner into his own hands, and loudly proclaimed: “اَنَا النَّبِيُّ لَا كَذِبَ، اَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ”—“I am the Prophet, without a doubt! I am the grandson of `Abd-ul-Muttalib!” That is, I am undoubtedly a Prophet—whether these twelve thousand stand with me or I stand alone. And I am the grandson of `Abdul-Muttalib, present personally here on the battlefield. Heﷺ  then called out to his companions: “اِلَيَّ يَا عِبَادَ اللهِ!”—“To me, O servants of Allah!” Following this, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his uncle, `Abbās رضي الله عنه, whose voice was exceptionally loud, to summon the Muhājirūn and Ansār. `Abbās رضي الله عنه cried out: “Where are the people of Badr? Where are those who pledged under the tree (Bay`at-ur-Ridhwān)?” Hearing his call, the scattered companions began returning to the Prophet ﷺ. Before long, the army regrouped. The Muslims launched a powerful counterattack, and despite fierce resistance, they ultimately achieved victory.

فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنْكُمْ شَیْـًٔا وَّ ضَاقَتْ عَلَیْكُمُ الْاَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّیْتُمْ مُّدْبِرِیْنَۚ۝۲۵

But they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat.

Ayah 26:

ثُمَّ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَكِیْنَتَهٗ عَلٰی رَسُوْلِهٖ وَ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَ اَنْزَلَ جُنُوْدًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا

Then Allah sent down His reassurance upon His Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces you could not see

وَ عَذَّبَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا ؕ وَذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكٰفِرِیْنَ۝۲۶٢٦

And punished those who disbelieved. Such was the reward of the disbelievers.

Ayah 27:

ثُمَّ یَتُوْبُ اللّٰهُ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ ذٰلِكَ عَلٰی مَنْ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِیْمٌ۝۲۷

Then afterwards Allah will turn in grace to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ayah 28:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ نَجَسٌ فَلَا یَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هٰذَا ۚ

O believers! Indeed, the polytheists are ˹spiritually˺ impure, so they should not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year.

This means that although the polytheists participated in the pilgrimage of this year (9 AH), from the following year onward, no polytheist would be permitted to perform hajj or come near the Ka`bah or the Sacred Mosque.

وَ اِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَیْلَةً فَسَوْفَ یُغْنِیْكُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖۤ اِنْ شَآءَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلِیْمٌ حَكِیْمٌ۝۲۸

If you fear poverty Allah will enrich you out of His bounty, if He wills. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, Al l-Wise.

If anyone fears that this command might reduce the number of pilgrims and, consequently, diminish the income from their offerings and sacrifices, let him place his complete trust in Allah. Soon, such an abundance of worldly wealth will come your way that you will struggle to manage it.

Indeed, within a few years after the Prophet ﷺ’s passing, the situation changed entirely. The conquests of the Persian and Roman empires brought an overwhelming influx of spoils of war, fulfilling precisely what the Prophet ﷺ had foretold in his final days. He ﷺ said:

((فَوَاللّٰہِ لَا الْفَقْرُ أَخْشٰى عَلَيْكُمْ، وَلٰكِنْ أَخْشٰى عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تُبْسَطَ عَلَيْكُمُ الدُّنْيَا كَمَا بُسِطَتْ عَلٰى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، فَتَنَافَسُوهَا كَمَا تَنَافَسُوهَا، وَتُهْلِكَكُمْ كَمَا أَهْلَكَتْهُمْ)) [متفق علیہ]

“By Allah, I do not fear poverty for you, but I fear that the world will be opened up for you (wealth and riches will pile at your feet), as it was opened up for those before you. Then you will compete for it as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.”

Ayah 29:

قَاتِلُوا الَّذِیْنَ لَا یُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ لَا بِالْیَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ لَا یُحَرِّمُوْنَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ وَرَسُوْلُهٗ وَ لَا یَدِیْنُوْنَ دِیْنَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ حَتّٰی یُعْطُوا الْجِزْیَةَ عَنْ یَّدٍ وَّهُمْ صٰغِرُوْنَ۠۝۲۹

Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled. 

This ayah also conveys a profound philosophy of the Deen, differentiating the case of the Arab polytheists from the rest of humanity. According to Surah At-Tawbah, ayah 5, once the grace period granted to the Arab polytheists expired, they were left with no choice but to accept faith, face death, or leave the Arabian Peninsula. Their situation was exceptional because Muhammad ﷺ, as the Messenger of Allah, had completed the ultimate proof (itmām al-hujjah) against them. By rejecting his prophethood, they became deserving of Divine punishment in the form of annihilation.

In contrast, a different law applies to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) and the rest of humanity. For those outside the Arabian Peninsula during the Prophet ﷺ’s time, who had not directly rejected his message, and for all people until the Day of Judgment, this ultimatum does not apply.

After the Prophet ﷺ’s earthly life, while he remains present spiritually as the Messenger of Allah, he is no longer physically present. Consequently, no nation can now directly reject his invitation and thereby become deserving of the punishment of obliteration.

For the rest of humanity, the principle is that combat will continue until they accept the dominance of Islam as a governing system. However, individuals will not be forced to embrace Islam. Non-Muslims may remain adherents of their respective religions while living as citizens of the Islamic state, provided they pay jizyah.

In accordance with this principle, during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate (Khilāfah Rāshidah), three options were presented to any nation before military engagement:

1. Accept Islam: By doing so, you will attain equal citizenship in the Islamic state, with full rights and privileges.
2. Submit to the authority of the Islamic state: Acknowledge the supremacy of Islam, live as compliant citizens under the Islamic state, and pay jizyah. This will grant you complete freedom to practice your religion, whether you are Jews, Christians, Magians, Hindus, or others.
3. Prepare for war: If neither option is acceptable and you insist on upholding a system of falsehood on this land, confrontation will become inevitable.

Ayāt 30 to 35

وَ قَالَتِ الْیَهُوْدُ عُزَیْرُ ۟ ِابْنُ اللّٰهِ وَ قَالَتِ النَّصٰرَی الْمَسِیْحُ ابْنُ اللّٰهِ ؕ ذٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِاَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۚ یُضَاهِـُٔوْنَ قَوْلَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ ؕ قٰتَلَهُمُ اللّٰهُ ؗۚ اَنّٰی یُؤْفَكُوْنَ۝۳۰ اِتَّخَذُوْۤا اَحْبَارَهُمْ وَ رُهْبَانَهُمْ اَرْبَابًا مِّنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَ الْمَسِیْحَ ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ ۚ وَ مَاۤ اُمِرُوْۤا اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلٰهًا وَّاحِدًا ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ؕ سُبْحٰنَهٗ عَمَّا یُشْرِكُوْنَ۝۳۱ یُرِیْدُوْنَ اَنْ یُّطْفِـُٔوْا نُوْرَ اللّٰهِ بِاَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَ یَاْبَی اللّٰهُ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ یُّتِمَّ نُوْرَهٗ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ۝۳۲ هُوَ الَّذِیْۤ اَرْسَلَ رَسُوْلَهٗ بِالْهُدٰی وَ دِیْنِ الْحَقِّ لِیُظْهِرَهٗ عَلَی الدِّیْنِ كُلِّهٖ ۙ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ۝۳۳ یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّ كَثِیْرًا مِّنَ الْاَحْبَارِ وَ الرُّهْبَانِ لَیَاْكُلُوْنَ اَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَ یَصُدُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ؕ وَ الَّذِیْنَ یَكْنِزُوْنَ الذَّهَبَ وَ الْفِضَّةَ وَ لَا یُنْفِقُوْنَهَا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ۙ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِیْمٍۙ۝۳۴ یَّوْمَ یُحْمٰی عَلَیْهَا فِیْ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوٰی بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَ جُنُوْبُهُمْ وَ ظُهُوْرُهُمْ ؕ هٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِاَنْفُسِكُمْ فَذُوْقُوْا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْنِزُوْنَ۝۳۵

Ayah 30:

وَ قَالَتِ الْیَهُوْدُ عُزَیْرُ ۟ ِابْنُ اللّٰهِ وَ قَالَتِ النَّصٰرَی الْمَسِیْحُ ابْنُ اللّٰهِ ؕ

The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah,” while the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.”

ذٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِاَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۚ یُضَاهِـُٔوْنَ قَوْلَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ ؕ

Such are their baseless assertions, only parroting the words of earlier disbelievers.

Their fabricated beliefs have no foundation in reality; rather, they are merely imitating the ideas of earlier polytheists. Historical evidence indicates that the concept of the Trinity was first introduced by the followers of the ancient Egyptian religion known as Mithraism. In this system, three figures were central: “God the Father, Horus the Son of God, and Isis the Mother Goddess.” This was the earliest concept of the Trinity, originating in Egypt.

Later, as Saint Paul began spreading Christianity and extending its reach to non-Israelite Gentiles, similar concepts were adopted from Egyptian beliefs to make Christianity more appealing to the masses. As a result, the initial version of the Trinity incorporated into Christianity consisted of “God, Jesus the Son of God, and Mary the Blessed Mother.” This adaptation clearly drew from the foundational ideas of Mithraism, reflecting a direct borrowing of its structure.

قٰتَلَهُمُ اللّٰهُ ؗۚ اَنّٰی یُؤْفَكُوْنَ۝۳۰

May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded ˹from the truth˺?

Ayah 31:

اِتَّخَذُوْۤا اَحْبَارَهُمْ وَ رُهْبَانَهُمْ اَرْبَابًا مِّنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَ الْمَسِیْحَ ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ ۚ

They have taken their rabbis and monks as well as the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah

Another significant deviation among the Christians was their inclusion of their scholars and monks, along with `Īsa عليه السلام, as partners in divinity. `Īsa عليه السلام was explicitly regarded as one of their three gods, and they worshipped him accordingly. However, their recognition of scholars and monks as deities took on a different form.

When `Adi ibn Hātim رضي الله عنه, a former Christian who embraced Islam, sought clarification from the Prophet ﷺ regarding this ayah, the Prophet ﷺ explained:

((أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْبُدُونَهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا أَحَلُّوا شَيْئًا اسْتَحَلُّوهُ وَإِذَا حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا حَرَّمُوهُ)) [سن الترمذی:3095]

“They did not worship them (their rabbis and monks) directly, but when they declared something lawful, the people accepted it as lawful, and when they declared something unlawful, the people accepted it as unlawful.”

This underscores a critical principle: the authority to determine what is halāl and harām belongs exclusively to Allah. If anyone else assumes this right, he is effectively claiming a share in Allah’s divinity. Moreover, anyone who acknowledges such authority in others is, in essence, accepting them as lords besides Allah.

Even today, the Pope holds absolute authority to issue decrees on religious matters. For instance, he absolved the Jews of the two-thousand-year-old accusation of crucifying `Īsaعليه السلام  through a single decree, effectively granting himself the power to rewrite history. Similarly, he can declare something lawful (halāl) as unlawful (harām) or vice versa.

Comparable beliefs are found among the Ismā`īlis, who regard their “Imām Hādhir” as infallible, attributing to him the absolute authority to legislate matters of halāl and harām. This effectively nullifies the Shariah. Such practices are particularly evident among the Ismā`īlis of Gujarat (India). In contrast, the Ismā`īlis of Hunza, who belong to an older tradition and migrated from other regions, still adhere to the Shariah.

When the Ismā`īlis of Gujarat began propagating their beliefs among the local Hindu population, they employed tactics reminiscent of Saint Paul. To appeal to Hindu sensibilities, they abandoned the Shariah and adopted the Hindu concept of avatars (divine incarnations). They presented `Ali رضي الله عنه as the tenth avatar, aligning with the Hindu belief in nine prior avatars. Consequently, the doctrine of the Dashtam Avatar became a permanent feature of their faith. Additionally, their Imām Hādhir is believed to hold the authority to abrogate any command of the Shariah, declare the lawful as unlawful, or render the unlawful permissible at his discretion.

وَ مَاۤ اُمِرُوْۤا اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلٰهًا وَّاحِدًا ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ؕ سُبْحٰنَهٗ عَمَّا یُشْرِكُوْنَ۝۳۱

Even though they were commanded to worship none but One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. Glorified is He above what they associate ˹with Him˺!

Ayah 32:

یُرِیْدُوْنَ اَنْ یُّطْفِـُٔوْا نُوْرَ اللّٰهِ بِاَفْوَاهِهِمْ

They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths

وَ یَاْبَی اللّٰهُ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ یُّتِمَّ نُوْرَهٗ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ۝۳۲

But Allah will only allow His light to be perfected, even to the dismay of the disbelievers.

This statement subtly mocks the Jews, alluding to the fact that they always rely on covert schemes to undermine Islam rather than openly confronting it. Maulāna Zafar `Ali Khan expressed the essence of this ayah in these words of his poetry:

نورِ خدا ہے کفر کی حرکت پہ خندہ زن

پھونکوں  سے  یہ  چراغ  بجھایا   نہ  جائے  گا!

The light of God laughs at the machinations of disbelief,

This lamp cannot be extinguished by mere breaths!

Ayah 33:

هُوَ الَّذِیْۤ اَرْسَلَ رَسُوْلَهٗ بِالْهُدٰی وَ دِیْنِ الْحَقِّ لِیُظْهِرَهٗ عَلَی الدِّیْنِ كُلِّهٖ ۙ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُوْنَ۝۳۳

He is the One Who has sent His Messenger with ˹true˺ guidance and the religion of truth, making it prevail over all others, even to the dismay of the polytheists.

This ayah is a clear testament to the distinctiveness and finality of the messengerhood of Muhammad ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah. As previously mentioned, the primary purpose of the Prophet ﷺ’s mission, like that of other prophets and messengers, was to deliver glad tidings, issue warnings, remind, invite, and convey Allah’s message. This is articulated in Surah An-Nisā:

 ﯜرُسُلًا مُّبَشِّرِیۡنَ وَ مُنۡذِرِیۡنَ لِئَلَّا یَکُوۡنَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَی اللّٰہِ حُجَّۃٌۢ بَعۡدَ الرُّسُلِﯛ  [النساء:165]

“Messengers as bearers of good news and as warners, so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers.”

(An-Nisā 165)

In addition to this fundamental mission, the Prophet ﷺ’s prophethood carries a unique and exclusive purpose: the completion of messengerhood, which involves the practical establishment and dominance of the Deen. These two ayāt emphasize this distinctive and ultimate dimension of the Prophet ﷺ’s mission.

 This pair of ayāt appears in the same sequence in Surah As-Saff (ayāt 8 and 9). The first ayah in Surah As-Saff features a slight variation:

 ﯜیُرِیۡدُوۡنَ لِیُطۡفِـُٔوۡا نُوۡرَ اللّٰہِ بِاَفۡوَاھِہِمۡ وَ اللّٰہُ مُتِمُّ نُوۡرِہٖ وَ لَوۡ کَرِہَ الۡکٰفِرُوۡنَﯛ [الصّف:8]

“They want to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light even though the disbelievers dislike it.” (As-Saff 8)

The second ayah, however, is identical to the one in Surah At-Tawbah, with no differences whatsoever.

I have authored a comprehensive 24-page article titled “نبی اکرمﷺ کا مقصد ِبعثت” (The Purpose of the Prophethood of the Noble Prophet ﷺ), which explains this ayah in detail. The article demonstrates that striving for the ultimate fulfillment of the unique and distinctive purpose of the Prophet ﷺ’s prophethood—the establishment of the Deen and its supremacy in the world—is an obligation upon all of us as his followers. While some have sought to shirk this responsibility by arguing that it is Allah, not humans, who will establish the dominance of the Deen, a thorough reading of this article will, in shā Allah, clarify the truth of the matter.

Ayah 34:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّ كَثِیْرًا مِّنَ الْاَحْبَارِ وَ الرُّهْبَانِ لَیَاْكُلُوْنَ اَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ

O believers! Indeed, many rabbis and monks consume people’s wealth wrongfully

In various Muslim communities, religious leaders have been known by different names and titles. Among the Israelites, they were called Ahbār and Ruhbān. The ayah under discussion highlights that many from this class were engaged in the reprehensible act of accumulating wealth and property through wrongful and unlawful means.

For an ordinary individual pursuing worldly endeavors, there is no objection to earning wealth or acquiring property through legitimate means. However, when someone dedicated to serving the Deen, known and respected in that capacity, becomes engrossed in amassing wealth and property—exploiting his religious standing to unlawfully seize the wealth of others and making the accumulation of riches his ultimate goal—he becomes the worst of all people under the heavens. Here, it is fitting to mention an eye-opening hadīth of the Prophet ﷺ, one brimming with admonition and insight:

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: ((يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ إِلَّا اسْمُهُ، وَلَا يَبْقَى مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ إِلَّا رَسْمُهُ، مَسَاجِدُهُمْ عَامِرَةٌ وَهِيَ خَرَابٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى، عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ شَرُّ مَنْ تَحْتَ أَدِيمِ السَّمَاءِ، مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ تَخْرُجُ الْفِتْنَةُ وَفِيهِمْ تَعُودُ))

[رواہ البیھقی فی شعب الایمان]

`Ali رضي الله عنه  narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A time will come upon the people when nothing will remain of Islam except its name, and nothing will remain of the Quran except its script. Their mosques will be bustling but devoid of guidance. Their scholars will be the worst under the heavens; trials will emerge from them, and to them, they will return.”

وَ یَصُدُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ؕ

And hinder ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah.

When a religious movement arises—when a sincere servant of Allah calls people toward the Deen—these religious leaders perceive their positions of authority to be under threat. They fear losing their devoted followers to another call, as it is through the contributions and offerings of these followers that their wealth grows and their properties multiply. Why, then, would they allow their adherents to respond to another call?

وَ الَّذِیْنَ یَكْنِزُوْنَ الذَّهَبَ وَ الْفِضَّةَ وَ لَا یُنْفِقُوْنَهَا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ۙ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ اَلِیْمٍۙ۝۳۴

Give good news of a painful torment to those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s cause.

Regarding this ayah, Abu Zarr Ghifāri رضي الله عنه  held the personal opinion that it is absolutely prohibited for a Muslim to keep gold and silver in his possession. However, other companions رضي الله عنهم  did not share this view. The general principle in the Deen is that wealth earned through lawful means, provided zakāh is duly paid on it, is permissible to retain, irrespective of its amount or whether it is in the form of gold or silver. Upon a person’s death, such wealth lawfully passes to his heirs in accordance with the laws of inheritance.

The law of inheritance revealed by Allah itself serves as evidence that owning wealth is not inherently unlawful. If wealth were not to be accumulated, what would form the basis of inheritance, and what practical purpose would the law of inheritance fulfill? Therefore, the Quranic injunctions encouraging generous spending fall within the scope of its spiritual and moral teachings. For instance, the command ﯛ ﯜقُلِ الۡعَفۡوَؕ (Al-Baqarah 219), meaning “Spend whatever is beyond your needs in the way of Allah,” reflects this principle.

During the caliphate of `Uthmān رضي الله عنه, despite Abu Zarr Ghifāri رضي الله عنه’s opposition, it was legally established that possessing gold and silver is not categorically prohibited for Muslims. Nevertheless, Abu Zarr رضي الله عنه  remained resolute in his personal stance, refusing to show any flexibility on the matter. His persistent disagreement created a sense of unrest in Madinah, prompting Uthmān رضي الله عنه  to direct him to leave the city. Complying with this directive, Abu Zarr رضي الله عنه departed from Madinah and chose to settle in the desert, where he built a small hut and began living in seclusion.

In my view, the directive of this ayah is specifically directed at the ahbār and ruhbān—the religious leaders—and particularly applies to those who dedicate their time and abilities to the service of the Deen without any independent source of income. Such individuals often rely on gifts and financial support from the community to fulfill their needs with dignity. For instance, the Prophet ﷺ himself met his necessities, provided for the sustenance of the Mothers of the Believers رضي الله عنهن, and supported his relatives through the Bayt al-Māl. (In times of insufficient resources, he ﷺ even endured hunger.) The same approach was adopted by the Rightly Guided Caliphs رضي الله عنهم.

It is therefore incumbent upon such religious leaders to utilize the donations and stipends they receive solely to meet their own essential needs and those of their dependents in a reasonable and dignified manner. However, if they exploit their position to amass wealth and acquire properties, and this wealth is subsequently passed on to their heirs through inheritance, the injunctions of this ayah would apply to them in full measure.

Even today, if one seeks to distinguish between the ulamā al-haqq (righteous scholars) and the ulamā as-sū (corrupt scholars), this ayah, in my opinion, serves as a definitive litmus test. If a religious leader or scholar dies leaving behind significant wealth or property acquired through his religious career, he is undoubtedly among the ulamā as-sū.

Ayah 35:

یَّوْمَ یُحْمٰی عَلَیْهَا فِیْ نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوٰی بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَ جُنُوْبُهُمْ وَ ظُهُوْرُهُمْ ؕ

The Day ˹will come˺ when their treasure will be heated up in the Fire of Hell, and their foreheads, sides, and backs branded with it.

هٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِاَنْفُسِكُمْ فَذُوْقُوْا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْنِزُوْنَ۝۳۵

˹It will be said to them,˺ “This is the treasure you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste what you hoarded!”

Ayāt 36 to 37

اِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُوْرِ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِیْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ یَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ مِنْهَاۤ اَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ؕ ذٰلِكَ الدِّیْنُ الْقَیِّمُ ۙ۬ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوْا فِیْهِنَّ اَنْفُسَكُمْ وَ قَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِیْنَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا یُقَاتِلُوْنَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ؕ وَ اعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِیْنَ۝۳۶ اِنَّمَا النَّسِیْٓءُ زِیَادَةٌ فِی الْكُفْرِ یُضَلُّ بِهِ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا یُحِلُّوْنَهٗ عَامًا وَّ یُحَرِّمُوْنَهٗ عَامًا لِّیُوَاطِـُٔوْا عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ فَیُحِلُّوْا مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ ؕ زُیِّنَ لَهُمْ سُوْٓءُ اَعْمَالِهِمْ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ لَا یَهْدِی الْقَوْمَ الْكٰفِرِیْنَ۠۝۳۷

Ayah 36:

اِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُوْرِ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِیْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ یَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ

Indeed, the number of months ordained by Allah is twelve—in Allah’s Record since the day He created the heavens and the earth

According to the Divine system ordained by Allah and His legislative decree, the number of months has been set at twelve.

مِنْهَاۤ اَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ؕ

Of which four are sacred.

The four months of Zul-Qa`dah, Zul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab are known as al-ashhur al-hurum (the sacred months), during which acts such as warfare are prohibited.

ذٰلِكَ الدِّیْنُ الْقَیِّمُ ۙ۬ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوْا فِیْهِنَّ اَنْفُسَكُمْ

That is the Right Way. So do not wrong one another during these months.

According to the Divine law, these four months have been sacred since the very beginning. Therefore, do not violate their sanctity, thereby wronging yourselves. This refers to the practice of the Quraysh, who would arbitrarily alter the sacred months. If a sacred month coincided with a campaign or conflict, instead of halting their warfare in observance of its sanctity, they would designate another month as sacred in its place. Through such manipulations, they had completely disrupted the calendar.

By Allah’s decree, however, the calendar—having undergone numerous alterations and adjustments—was restored to its original state by the year 10 AH. This is why the Prophet ﷺ declared in his Farewell Sermon:

 ((إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ….)) [متفق علیہ]

“Time has completed its cycle and returned to its original state as it was on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth.”

وَ قَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِیْنَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا یُقَاتِلُوْنَكُمْ كَآفَّةً ؕ وَ اعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِیْنَ۝۳۶

And fight the polytheists together as they fight together against you. And know that Allah is with those mindful ˹of Him˺.

Ayah 37:

اِنَّمَا النَّسِیْٓءُ زِیَادَةٌ فِی الْكُفْرِ یُضَلُّ بِهِ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا

Reallocating the sanctity of ˹these˺ months is an increase in disbelief, by which the disbelievers are led ˹far˺ astray.

This signifies that altering the order of the sacred months—shifting them forward or backward from their rightful position—adds yet another act of disbelief to the framework of kufr.

یُحِلُّوْنَهٗ عَامًا وَّ یُحَرِّمُوْنَهٗ عَامًا لِّیُوَاطِـُٔوْا عِدَّةَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ

They adjust the sanctity one year and uphold it in another, only to maintain the number of months sanctified by Allah

فَیُحِلُّوْا مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُؕ

Violating the very months Allah has made sacred.

This means that by altering the sequence of the months, they effectively made permissible the months that Allah had declared sacred. The Arab polytheists acknowledged the sanctity of four months in the year but would arbitrarily rearrange their order to align with their desires. By the end of the year, they would ensure the total number of sacred months was maintained, despite having violated their sanctity.

زُیِّنَ لَهُمْ سُوْٓءُ اَعْمَالِهِمْ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ لَا یَهْدِی الْقَوْمَ الْكٰفِرِیْنَ۠۝۳۷

Their evil deeds have been made appealing to them. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.

This concludes the five sections addressing the specific mission of the Prophet ﷺ, where the final and comprehensive directives on the matter have been delivered. With the sixth section, the discussion transitions to the Battle of Tabūk. At this point, it is pertinent to revisit its contextual background.

In 6 AH, immediately following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet ﷺ began sending letters and envoys to rulers beyond Arabia. Among these was a letter addressed to Shurahbīl ibn `Amr, the governor of Busra (Syria), a vassal of the Roman Empire. The Prophet ﷺ entrusted this letter to Hārith ibn `Umair Al-Azdi رضي الله عنه. In blatant disregard for diplomatic and moral norms, Shurahbīl had Hārith رضي الله عنه executed. Viewing this act as a declaration of war, the Prophet ﷺ prepared an army of 3,000 companions under the leadership of Zayd ibn Hāritha رضي الله عنه and dispatched them toward Syria.

When the Muslim forces reached Mu`tah, they encountered an opposing army of 100,000 Romans ready for battle. After assessing the overwhelming size of the enemy force, the Muslims engaged in detailed consultations. Despite the gravity of the situation, they resolved to confront the Roman army, motivated solely by their ardent desire for martyrdom.

شہادت ہے مطلوب و مقصودِ مومن

نہ   مالِ   غنیمت ‘   نہ   کشور   کشائی!

For the believer, martyrdom is both the purpose and the prize—Not the treasures of war, nor the expansion of empires.

In Jumāda al-Ūla of 8 AH, the two armies confronted each other at Mu`tah. The Prophet ﷺ had appointed Zayd ibn Hāritha رضي الله عنه as the commander of the Muslim army, with two additional commanders designated in the event of his martyrdom. He ﷺ instructed that if Zayd رضي الله عنه were martyred, Ja`far ibn Abi Tālib رضي الله عنه (Ja`far Tayyār) would assume command, and if he too were martyred, `Abdullah ibn Rawwāha رضي الله عنه would take charge. As foreseen, all three commanders were martyred in succession. After the martyrdom of `Abdullah ibn Rawwāha رضي الله عنه, Khālid ibn Walīd رضي الله عنه assumed command on his own initiative. Demonstrating exceptional military acumen, he successfully maneuvered the Muslim army out of the Roman forces’ encirclement, ensuring their safety.

In light of the situation arising from the Battle of Mu`tah, the Prophet ﷺ announced the mobilization of a large army to confront the Romans, calling for the use of all available resources. This time, he  ﷺ decided to personally lead the expedition. Tabūk, situated approximately 350 miles north of Madinah, was the last city in the Hijāz region, marking the border of the Roman Empire at that time.

The Prophet ﷺ issued a general call to arms, making it obligatory for every capable believer to join the expedition. This was a time of immense trial and challenge for the believers, with multiple hardships compounding the test: a severe drought, the scorching summer heat, the grueling desert journey, an imminent confrontation with the world’s superpower, and, to top it all, the fast-approaching harvest season. For most residents of Madinah, their livelihood depended on the date harvest, which was ripe and ready for collection. Joining the expedition meant leaving the dates on the trees, as the women could not undertake the labor-intensive task of harvesting. It was clear that if the men departed, the crop would inevitably go to waste.

The announcement of this expedition placed a heavy burden on the hypocrites, exposing their true nature and malicious intentions. The ayāt in the forthcoming eleven sections, while encompassing various topics, are unified by a recurring theme: the hypocrites. This theme serves as a central thread, with other subjects delicately interwoven like pearls of varying sizes. Although the hypocrites were discussed in detail earlier in Surah An-Nisā, the treatment of this subject in the next eleven sections represents the pinnacle of the Quranic discourse on hypocrisy.

The Prophet ﷺ set out for Tabūk with an army of 30,000. Although Heraclius, the Roman Emperor, was personally present on the opposing side, he seemed to recognize the Prophet ﷺ as a true Messenger of Allah and, therefore, did not dare to engage in battle. The Prophet ﷺ remained in Tabūk for some time, during which several surrounding tribes approached and entered into treaties with him.

While the expedition did not result in direct combat, the Muslim army’s march from Madinah to Tabūk, reaching the borders of the Roman Empire, and Heraclius’s decision to avoid confrontation was no ordinary event. This campaign not only instilled a sense of awe and respect for the Muslims in the region but also effectively extended the Islamic state’s borders to Tabūk. Furthermore, it decisively restored the Muslims’ prestige, which had been somewhat affected after the Battle of Mu`tah.

This strategic confrontation with the Roman Empire, initiated through the Tabūk expedition, laid the foundation for further developments during the caliphate of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. The immediate dispatch of Usama رضي الله عنه’s army from Madinah after the Prophet ﷺ’s passing was a direct continuation of this effort.