Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | THE EARTH’S SUFFOCATING EXPANSEverses showing how those hypocrites used to receive any new revelation outliningcertain duties imposed by the faith they falsely claimed to accept. This is contrastedwith the way believers used to receive the revelation of new verses of the Qur’ān:“Whenever a sūrah is revealed, some of them say: ‘Which of you has this strengthened infaith?’ It certainly strengthens the believers in their faith, and so they rejoice. But as for thosewhose hearts are diseased, it only adds wickedness to their wickedness, and so they dieunbelievers. Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they do notrepent, and they do not take warning. Whenever a sūrah is revealed, they look at one another[as if to say]: ‘Is anyone watching?’ Then they turn away. God has turned their hearts away,for they are people devoid of understanding.” (Verses 124-127)It is a strange and suspicious question the first verse quotes: “Which of you has thisstrengthened in faith?” It is asked only by one who has not felt the impact of the newsūrah as it is revealed. Otherwise he would have spoken about its effect on himinstead of wondering how it has affected other people. At the same time, it betrays asense of belittling the importance of the new revelation and its effect on people’shearts and minds. Hence a decisive reply is given by the One who has the ultimateknowledge: “It certainly strengthens the believers in their faith, and so they rejoice. But asfor those whose hearts are diseased, it only adds wickedness to their wickedness, and so theydie unbelievers.” (Verses 124-125)The believers receive with every new sūrah and new revelation a new pointer tothe truth of the faith. They also remember their Lord when they listen to Hisrevelations, and they appreciate the care He takes of them by sending down theserevelations. All this adds to the strength of their faith. On the other hand, those whohave sickness in their hearts, the hypocrites, will have their wickedness increased.They will die unbelievers. This is a true piece of information given by God whoknows everything.Before the sūrah portrays the opposite picture, it wonders at those hypocrites whonever take an admonition, and never reflect on an event to gather the lesson that maybe learnt from it: “Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they donot repent, and they do not take warning.” (Verse 126) The test may have taken the formof exposing their reality, or that the believers achieve victory without thosehypocrites taking any part. There could be many other forms of test, which were alltoo frequent at the time of the Prophet. Still hypocrites today are tested and they payno heed.The next verse portrays a vivid scene, full of details, showing their behaviour:“Whenever a sūrah is revealed, they look at one another [as if to say]: ‘Is anyone watching?’Then they turn away. God has turned their hearts away, for they are people devoid ofunderstanding.” (Verse 127)When we read this verse, the scene of these hypocrites is large in front of us. We249