At-Tawbah - WikiHQ

At-Tawbah () is the ninth chapter () of the Quran. It contains 129 verses () and is one of the last Medinan surahs. This Surah is also known as Bara'ah (). It is called At-Tawbah in light of the fact that it articulates tawbah (repentance) and informs about the conditions of its acceptance (verse , ). The name Bara'at (release) is taken from the opening word of the Surah.

It is believed by Muslims to have been revealed at the time of the Expedition of Tabuk in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijrah. The Sanaa manuscript preserves some verses, on parchment radiocarbon dated to between 578 CE (44 BH) and 669 CE (49 AH).

It is the only Surah of the Quran that does not begin with Bismillah, the usual opening formula, In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. It deals with almost the same topics as those dealt with in Surat al-Anfal. In contrast to all other surahs, the Islamic prophet Muhammad did not order that this formula should be put at the beginning of this surah. At-Tawba's verse 40 refers to Abu Bakr as ('Second of the Two').

Summary

1 Allah makes a declaration of disassociation from the polytheists.
2 they can travel freely for 4 months
3 It would be better if they repent
4 Polytheists who didn’t break any treaty are to be spared and treated with respect until time of treaty is over
5 After the sacred months have passed (the duration of the treaty), polytheists/idolaters may be killed, persecuted, and hunted without rest, but if they repent/convert, they are accepted/excused.
6 Any Polytheist who goes to Muslims and asks for protection is to be granted protection so they can hear the words of Allah
7 Polytheists who upheld treaties not to be harmed
8 Polytheists rebuked for not observing treaty believing they have the upper hand
9 Polytheists rebuked for exchanging the signs of Allah and averting from his way
10 Those who broke the treaties are the transgressors
11 If those who broke the treaties become Muslims they are regarded as brothers to the believers
12 If the disbelievers break their oaths Muslims are told to fight the leaders of disbelief
13 Muslims questioned if they will fight those who broke the treaty and attacked them first
14 Muslims are urged to fight in revenge against non-Muslims and Allah will punish them by their own hands and heal the chests of the believers
15 Allah removes the believer’s anger and accepts repentance from whom he wills
16 Believers questioned if they think Allah will not prove who truly strives in his cause
17-18 All but Muslims to be excluded from the sacred temples
19 Abbás rebuked for his vainglory
20-22 The Muhajirun assigned the first rank among Muslims—their reward
23-24 True believers to refuse friendship with nearest kin if they be infidels
25-27 The Battle of Hunayn victory due to God's help
28 Idolators excluded from the Kaaba
29 The Jews and Christians to be attacked (if they refuse to pay the Jizya tax)
30 Jews and Christians reproved and condemned for applying the epithet “Son of God” to Uzayr and Jesus
31-32 They take their priests, monks, as their lords, and accept Jesus as god beside Allah..
33 Islam is the only truth and a superior path to all other religions.
34-35 Stingy Muslims likened to covetous monks—their punishment
36 Infidels may be attacked in sacred months
37 The sacred months not to be transferred
38–41 Muslims exhorted to go on expedition to Tabuk by reference to God's help to Muhammad and Abu Bakr in the cave; Abu Bakr is referenced as ('Second of the Two')
42 The lukewarm Muslims rebuked for wishing to stay at home
43 Muhammad rebuked for excusing some of these from going
44-46 Willingness to fight for Muhammad, a test of faith
47-50 Seditious Muslims rebuked
51-52 The sure reward of the faithful
53-55 God refuses the offerings of infidels and hypocrites
55 The wealth and prosperity of infidels a sign of their reprobation
56-57 Half-hearted Muslims reproved
58-59 Those who had spread libellous reports regarding Muhammad's use of alms rebuked
60 How alms should be expended
61-69 Grumblers and hypocrites threatened
70 They are warned by the example of the wicked in former ages
71-72 The faithful described—their rewards
73-74 Hypocrites denounced and threatened
76-78 Prosperity of infidels a prelude to their destruction
79 God shall scoff at the scoffers
80 The defamers of the faithful shall never be forgiven
81-83 Punishment of the “stayers at home”
84 Muhammad forbidden to pray at the grave of unbelievers and hypocrites
85-87 The Prophet not to wonder at the prosperity of the wicked
88-89 Reward of those who assist the Apostle in his wars
90 Hypocritical Arabs of the desert reproved
91-92 Who may lawfully remain at home in time of war
93-96 Other hypocrites reproved
97-98 The Bedouin, the worst of hypocrites
99 Some of them true believers
100 The reward of the Ansars and Muhájjirín
101 The desert Arabs and some of the people of Madína reproved
102-105 The penitent confessors in Madína are pardoned
106 Others await God's decision in their case
107-110 Denunciation against those who built a Masjid in opposition to Muhammad and his faithful ones
111-112 True believers are sold to God
113 Muslims not to pray for idolatrous relatives
114 Why Abraham prayed for his idolatrous parents
115-117 God merciful to the faithful
118 The three recreant Ansars pardoned
119-121 The people of Madína rebuked for want of loyalty to Muhammad
122 Some believers excused from going to war
123 True believers to war against neighbouring infidels and hypocrisy
124-127 Reproof of those who doubt the revelations of God and Muhammad
128-129 The Apostle trusts in the help of God

Omission of Bismillah

Out of all 114 Surahs of the Quran this is the only one to which Bismillah is not prefixed.

Sanaa manuscript folio 22, Q9:122-129

Verses 122-129 are preserved in Folio 22 of the Sanaa manuscript. The sequence of Sanaa 1 chapters do not follow any other known quranic order and folio 22 is shared with Chapter 19 (Mary). Saudi-based experts in Quranic history emphasize that while Muhammad was alive, Quranic texts did not follow any standard sequence of surahs.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" width="32%" | Folio 22, recto

! scope="col" width="24%" | Visible Traces

! scope="col" width="22%" | Reconstruction

! scope="col" width="22%" | Standard Text

| Quran 9 (al-Tawbah), Verse 122 Line 3, p. 62 || ما [كـ]ﺎ ﮞ || مَا كَانَ || مَا كَانَ

| Quran 9:122 Line 4 || مں كل ا ﻣﻪ || مِن كُلِّ || مِن كُلِّ

| Quran 9:124 Line 9 || و ا د ا ا ٮر لٮ || وَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ || وَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ

| Quran 9:125 Line 12 || ڡی ٯلو ٮهم ر حس || فِى قُلُوبِهِم || فِى قُلُوبِهِم

| Quran 9:125 Line 13 || ر حر ا ا لی ر ﺣﺴ[ﻬ]ـﻢ || إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ || إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ

| Quran 9:125 Line 13 || و ما ٮو ا و هم ڡـ(ـﺴٯـ)[ـﻮ] ﮞ || وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ || وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ

| Quran 9:126 Line 13 || ا [و] / / ٮر و || أَوَلَا || أَوَلَا

| Quran 9:126 Line 15 || و لا ٮـ(ـٮـ)ـﺪ كر و ﮞ || وَلَا يَتَذَكَّرُونَ || وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

| Quran 9:127 Line 15 || و ا د ا ا [ٮـ]ـﺮ (ﻟ)ـٮ || وَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ || وَإِذَا أُنزِلَتْ

| Quran 9:127 Line 16 || هل ٮر ٮٮا || هَلْ || هَلْ

| Quran 9:127 Line 17 || ڡا ٮـ[ـﺼ](ـﺮ) ڡـ(ـﻮ) ا || ﭑنصَرَفُوا || انصَرَفُوا

| Quran 9:127 Line 17 || ڡصر ڡ ا ﻟـﻠـﻪ || ـصَرَفَ اللهُ || صَرَفَ ٱللَّـهُ

| Quran 9:127 Line 17 || د لک ٮـ(ﺎ ٮـ)//[ـﻢ] (ٯـ)ـﻮ م لا ٮڡٯهو ﮞ || بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ || بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ

| Quran 9:128 Line 18 || و لٯد حا کم || لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ || لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ

| Quran 9:128 Line 18 || ر سو ل ﻣٮـ(ﮑ)ـﻢ || رَسولٌ || رَسُولٌ

| Quran 9:128 Line 19 || عر ٮر (ﻋ)ﻠ[ـٮـ](ﻪ) ما عٮٮکم || عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا || عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا

| Quran 9:129 Line 20 || ڡا / / (ٮـ)ـﻮ لو ا [ﻋ](ـٮـ)ـﮏ || فَإن تَوَلَّوْا || فَإن تَوَلَّوْا

| Quran 9:129 Line 21 || ا لد ی لا ا ﻟ[ﻪ] ا لا ﻫﻮ || لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ || لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ

Three Discourses

From opening up to the 37th ayat, the initial talk, was uncovered in Zil-Qa'adah A.H. 9. As the significance of the subject of the talk required its affirmation on the event of Hajj Muhammad dispatched Ali to follow Abu Bakr, who had just left for Makkah to lead the Pilgrims to the Ka'abah. He trained Ali to convey the talk before the representatives of the various clans of Arabia in order to advise them regarding the new policy guidelines pertinent to the mushriks.

Starting from ayat 38 up to 72nd ayat the subsequent talk was revealed during Rajab A.H. 9 or a little before this, when Muhammad was occupied with getting ready for the Campaign of Tabuk. The Believers were encouraged to take a dynamic part in Jihad, and the shirkers were seriously reproached for keeping down their riches and for wavering to forfeit their lives in the path for God due to their hypocrisy, powerless belief(iman) or carelessness.

The final section of ayaat 73rd to last, was uncovered on his return from the Campaign of Tabuk. There are a few pieces revealed in different events during the same time frame and were incorporated by Muhammad into the Surah as per instructions from God. This talk cautions the hypocrites of their malevolent deeds and censures those Believers who had remained behind in the Campaign of Tabuk. At that point in the wake of berating them, God exculpates those genuine Believers who had not partaken in the Jihad in the Way of Allah for one explanation or the other.

In the middle of the ayat 97 In other words, apart from hypocrisy, one of their defects is that they did not even keep in touch with the Muslims of Madinah through which they would have known the rules of Sharia.

That is, these people want the Muslims to fall into such a cycle of trouble that these people get freedom from the kind of commands that they find very difficult to follow. Especially on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk, these people had the hope that this time the Muslims were facing the great power of Rome, so maybe this time they would lose all their power after being defeated by the Romans. Further, God said that in reality these people are lying in the cycle of self-hypocrisy, which will cause them to be disgraced both in this world and in the hereafter.

Exegesis

Battle of Badr

Some parts of the chapter are believed to be speaking about the help of Allah by sending the invisible army of war, particularly mentioning the battle of Badr. According to Muhammad Sulaiman al-Ashqar from Islamic University of Madinah, who quoted several contemporary and classical scholars, the invisible army here were the Angels army consisted of Gabriel, Michael, Raphael The complete narration from Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri were:... Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Yaqoub has reported from Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Saadi, who told us Muhammad bin Khalid bin Uthma, told us Musa bin Yaqoub, told me Abu Al-Huwairith, that Muhammad bin Jubayr bin Mut’im told him, that he heard Ali - may God be pleased with him - addresses the people, and he said: While I was leaving from the well of Badr, a strong wind came, the like of which I had never seen, then it left, then came a strong wind, the like of which I have never seen except for the one before it, then it went, then came a strong wind that I did not see before. I have never seen anything like it except for the one before it, and the first wind was Gabriel descended among a thousand angels with the Messenger of God - may God bless him and grant him peace - and the second wind was Michael who descended among a thousand angels to the right of the Messenger of God - may God bless him and his family and grant them peace - and Abu Bakr was On his right, and the third wind was Israfil. He descended with a thousand angels on the side of the Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family - and I was on the right side. When God Almighty defeated his enemies, the Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family - carried me on his horse, I blew up, and I fell On my heels, I prayed to God Almighty... , Hadith scholar from Cordoba of 13-14 AD century, evaluate this hadith tha he found weaknesses in Musa ibn Yaqoub and Abu al Huwairith chain, so he deemed there is weakness about this hadith. However, recent scholarship from Ali Hasan al-Halabi has noted there is another hadith which supported the participation of Raphael in Badr and thousands of best angels from the third level of heaven, all came to the battle of Badr by impersonating the appearance of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, companion of Muhammad. are deemed as his other personal virtue and venerable status according to Islamic belief. Meanwhile, Mahdi Rizqullah has compiled the commentary from classical Islamic scholars, that the verse narration about the angels attendance in the battle were also supported by hadiths from hadith collection from Muslim ibn Hajjaj, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the also from Quranic historiography work by Ibn Kathir. Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani gave commentary of another supportive narration from al-Baihaqi and Ibn Ishaq, through various hadith narration chains about the testimony from several different sahabah.

Verses 9:2 - 9:6

The Quran, chapter 9 (At-Tawba), verses 2–6:

is termed as the Sword Verse. The journalist Arun Shourie has criticized this and many other verses from the Quran contending that the Sunnah and the Hadith are equally evocative in their support of Jihad. Many mainstream Islamic scholars, however, assert that this verse relates to a very specific event in early Islamic history i.e. the covenant that was made and consecutively broken by the polytheist tribes of Mecca:74-91. Some think they very easily bypass the fact that Quran is often quoted by Islamic scholars to be the book perfect for all times and all places and all humans, and if it is so, its verses never need a historical context at all. On the other hand, even if the Quran are not supposed to have a historic contextual explanation the context provided (such as the unfaithfulness in pacts and treatises) are mentioned in the previous verses, thus a part of the Quran itself instead of an "out-world" context relations. According to Asma Afsaruddin, citing various early exegetes' opinions regarding the Arab polytheists, the consensus among the earliest commentators has been that this does not translate into indiscriminate killing.

Verse 9:29

At-Tawbah also contains: