Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | MANIFESTATIONS OF HYPOCRISYorder not to pray for the dead among them and for the Prophet not to stand at any oftheir graves. But the principle itself has a wider application. Prayer and standing atthe grave of a deceased person are aspects of honour. The Muslim community mustnot accord such an honour to anyone who stays behind at a time of jihād. Thestanding of any person in the Muslim community is related to what that person isready to give, do or sacrifice at the time when he is called upon to do so. TrueMuslims give their all, remain steadfast at times of hardship and are always ready tostrive with their wealth and persons. Hence they receive the honour they deserve.On the other hand, those who stay behind deserve neither the apparent honourseen by everyone in the community, nor the type of mental appreciation that is feltby people though may not be demonstrated in any action: “Let neither their riches northeir children excite your admiration. God only wishes to punish them by means of these inthe life of this world, and that their souls perish while they are unbelievers.” (Verse 85) Thegeneral meaning of this verse has already been explained when a similar one wasmentioned earlier in the sūrah. It is repeated here for a different reason. What ismeant here is that no significance should be attached by the Muslim community tothe wealth or the children of these hypocrites, because to admire these is to give suchpeople a degree of mental honour or appreciation which they do not deserve. Theonly thing they deserve is to be ignored and looked upon with contempt.When a sūrah was revealed from on high calling on them to believe in God and tostrive alongside His Messenger, those of them who were well able to do so asked you togive them leave and said to you: Allow us to stay with those who remain behind.’ Theyare well- pleased to remain with those who are left behind. And their hearts are sealed,so that they are unable to understand the truth. But the Messenger and those whohave believed with him strive hard in God’s cause with their property and their lives.These shall have all the good things. These shall certainly prosper. God has preparedfor them gardens through which running waters flow, where they shall abide. That isthe supreme triumph. (Verses 86-89)These verses tell of two different natures, one of hypocrisy, weakness, and selfabasement,and another full of faith, strength and sacrifice. These give rise to twodifferent attitudes: one of deviousness, humbleness and lack of self-respect, andanother which is straightforward, dignified and ready to sacrifice.When a sūrah or a passage of the Qur’ān is revealed from on high, giving anexplicit order to the believers to strive for God’s cause, then those who have themeans to give physical and financial sacrifices come forward. They do not show upin order to take their positions in the front, as their ability and gratitude to Godwould require. They come forward to make stupid excuses and to request exemptionso that they can stay behind with women, doing nothing to defend sanctity or home.174