• The Hypocrites asking permission to remain behind

• Their presence would have been only a liability or weakness

• Their spending of wealth not acceptable to God

At-Tawbah (Al-Bara’at) Verses 43 – 59

عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَتَعْلَمَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ

“God forgive1thee (O’ Our Apostle!) Why didst thou give them leave (to stay behind) until it was manifest unto thee those who spake the truth2, and thou hadst known the liars.” (9:43)

لَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

“They ask not leave of thee, who believe in God and the Last Day (of Judgment) (to be exempt) from striving with their wealth and their selves3; Verily God is the knower of the pious ones.” (9:44)

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَـْٔذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱرْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِى رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ

“Only they ask leave of thee (to be exempt) who believe not in God and the Last Day (of Judgment), and their hearts are in doubt, hence in their doubt they are tossed to and fro.” (9:45)

وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا۟ ٱلْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا۟ لَهُۥ عُدَّةً وَلَـٰكِن كَرِهَ ٱللَّهُ ٱنۢبِعَاثَهُمْ فَثَبَّطَهُمْ وَقِيلَ ٱقْعُدُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْقَـٰعِدِينَ

“And had they (really) intended to go forth, they would certainly have made preparations for it, but God was averse4to their going forth, so He withheld5them and it was said (unto them) “Sit ye (still) with those who sit (idle).” (9:46)

لَوْ خَرَجُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا وَلَأَوْضَعُوا۟ خِلَـٰلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

“Had they gone forth with you they would not have added to you aught save mischief6, and they would have certainly hurried about (to and fro) amidst7you, to sow dissensions amidst you and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; And God knoweth the unjust.” (9:47)

لَقَدِ ٱبْتَغَوُا۟ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ وَقَلَّبُوا۟ لَكَ ٱلْأُمُورَ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَظَهَرَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَـٰرِهُونَ

“Certainly, did they seek (to sow) dissension before they upset matters for thee, until came the truth and did prevail the decree of God, though they were averse (from it).” (9:48)

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ٱئْذَن لِّى وَلَا تَفْتِنِّىٓ أَلَا فِى ٱلْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا۟ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

“Among them there is (many) a man who says, exempt8me, and try me not; Surely into trial have they already fallen; and verily hell encompasseth the infidels.” (9:49)

إِن تُصِبْكَ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُوا۟ قَدْ أَخَذْنَآ أَمْرَنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَيَتَوَلَّوا۟ وَّهُمْ فَرِحُونَ

“If befalleth thee (any) good9, it grieveth them, and if afflicteth thee (any) hardship10, say they “indeed we had taken care of our affair before,” and turn they away and they rejoice.” (9:50)

قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

“Say: (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!) “Never shall afflict us (anything) save what God hath decreed for us; He is our (Liege) Lord; and on God should the believers rely.” (9:51)

قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحْدَى ٱلْحُسْنَيَيْنِ وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦٓ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا فَتَرَبَّصُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ

“Say: “What! await ye for us aught but one of the two excellent things (either victory or Martyrdom)? and we await for you that God afflicteth you with chastisement from Himself or from our hands; Then wait ye, Verily we too with you will wait.” (9:52)

قُلْ أَنفِقُوا۟ طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا لَّن يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا فَـٰسِقِينَ

“Say: “Spend ye willingly or reluctantly never shall it be accepted11from you; (for) verily ye are (a) transgressing people.” (9:53)

وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمْ كَـٰرِهُونَ

“And nothing hindereth the acceptance from them of their offerings save that they reject God and His Apostle (Muhammad) and they come not to prayer but sluggishly and spend not (in goodness) but reluctantly.” (9:54)

فَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُهُمْ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ

“Let not therefore amaze thee12, their wealth nor their issues; Indeed, intendeth God (only) to torment them with these (things) in the life of (this) world and that their souls depart while they are disbelievers13.” (9:55)

وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ

“And they swear by God that they are surely of you; While they are not of you but they are people afraid14(of you).” (9:56)

لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَـًٔا أَوْ مَغَـٰرَٰتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلًا لَّوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ

“If they could find a refuge, or caves or a place to enter (conceal themselves) therein, certainly would they have turned themselves unto it, rushing thereto (in haste).” (9:57)

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا۟ مِنْهَا رَضُوا۟ وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا۟ مِنْهَآ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ

“And of them are those who blame thee with regard to the (distribution of) alms; if they are given from it they are pleased, and if not given to them from it, Behold! they are enraged.” (9:58)

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ رَضُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ رَٰغِبُونَ

“And if only they were content with what God and His Apostle had given them and had said: “Sufficient for us is God! Soon will give us God of His grace and His Apostle too; verily unto God (alone) do we (all) turn (in our hopes)” (9:59)

Commentary

Verse 43

The tone here is the same as that of 66:1. The Holy Prophet is addressed but actually the blame is directed to the third party concerned. And ‘Afallahu ank’ - God forgive you - is the same expression as 8:68 and it shows that the Holy Prophet had the option of giving the permission. Refer to verse 24:62 and there had not been any prohibitory order prior to the Holy Prophet’s action. It indicates the Holy Prophet’s anxiety for not exposing the hypocrites, but God in a correct tone condemns them. (A.P.).

Verse 47

This verse was revealed during the journey to Tabuk when most of the hypocrites had stayed away at Madina with false excuses, but they had sent some of them to accompany the Holy Prophet not to fight the enemy but to inform them of what happened on the way. (M.S.).

Verse 48

In Uhud they ran away and in Khandaq they wanted to create chaos and confusion among the Muslims’ ranks shouting ‘O’ people of Yathrib there is no concern for you with them (the Muslims)’. To know as to who were those who ran away at Uhud and the other battle-fields one may refer to any detailed Muslim history.

It may refer to the hypocrites lagging behind, not proceeding to the battle of Uhud or the conspiracy of the hypocrites to kill the Holy Prophet on the various occasions after Hunayn, and at the eve of his leaving for Tabuk while he was passing the valley at night and there were Twelve hypocrites who attempted to create their plot which failed. (A.P.).

Verse 51

This verse gives that a true believer will always reconcile himself with whatever befalls him as he always depends upon God as his Guardian and helper and none else. The best example of the superb strength of faith and total dependence upon God, can be seen in Karbala.

Verse 53

This clearly indicates that quantity in charity has no value in view of God. What is counted is the purity of motive and intention. Willingly, here does not mean the willingness for the sake of God, it means, those who are ready to spend but in ungodly manner and the others do not like to spend at all. See next Verse (A.P.)

Verse 55

The torture the hypocrites felt about their wealth would be about its hoarding and getting punished for it vide verses 9:34 and 9:35 and about their children they will have to die leaving them behind either to undergo the same miseries as their parents suffered or to join the faithful and strengthen the faith which the hypocrites did not like to do.

The very audacity for the accumulation of wealth and the upbringing of their issues with no idea of securing eternal happiness and the spiritual attainments, is a torture and source of worries for the individuals. (A.P.).

Verse 58

This verse was revealed at an incident which Bokhari, Nisai, Ibn Munzir Ibn Jarir Ibn Abi Hatim Abu Sh-shaik and Mardwaih have related from Abu-Sayeed Khidi who said that one day the Holy Prophet was distributing the booty, a man named Hargoos Ibn Zuhair Zulkhoisar at-Tameemi came before the Holy Prophet and criticized the Holy Prophet saying, ‘O’ Apostle of God - please do justice!’ The Holy Prophet replied: ‘O’ man! if I do not justice who else would do it?’ One of the Muslims standing by asked the Holy Prophet to permit him to slay the man. The Holy Prophet said: ‘leave him, there are some others with him. Every one of this group thinks prayer and fasting as useless, they are ‘Mariqeen.’

These will, one day, be so much separated from the faith as the arrow is separated from the bow. Then the Holy Prophet gave some prophetic details about these men, and said, “There will be a leader of these men, who will have on one side a woman’s breast. These men will revolt when the Muslims would have fallen in a dispute.” Abu Sayeed Khadri says that ‘I bear witness that this I heard from the Holy Prophet and when ‘Ali slew these very people in the Battle of Naharwan, I was with him. A man of exactly the same description which the Holy Prophet had prophesied mas brought before me, slain.’ Vide D.M. (M.F.A.).

• 1. This is an idiomatic address of honour.
• 2. Refer to verses 24:62, 8:68, 66:1.
• 3. Lives.
• 4. Because of their evil intention and their wavering mind.
• 5. Left them in the desire for this life.
• 6. Disturbance - as the others caused the trouble and the loss by running away from the battle fields.
• 7. This indicates that all hypocrites had not remained behind and there were some with the Holy Prophet and their number was considerably great even until 9 A.H. God knows how they disappeared or went underground immediately as the Holy Prophet left this world.
• 8. Permit to stay behind.
• 9. Success.
• 10. Defeat.
• 11. Note that charity to any extent without piety and righteousness can be of no avail.
• 12. The Prophet addressed for the people.
• 13. Refer to verse 9:85.
• 14. Actually meaning separate - detach - avoid - the reason may be fear.