Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | THE BASIS OF INTER-COMMUNAL RELATIONSin the Battle of Ĥunayn, when you took pride in your numerical strength, but it availed younothing. For all its vastness, the earth seemed too narrow for you, and you turned back inflight. God then bestowed from on high an air of inner peace on His Messenger and on thebelievers, and He sent down forces whom you could not see, and punished those whodisbelieved. Such is the reward for the unbelievers.” (Verses 25-26)They are also reassured about their provisions, and that they should not fear anyloss of trade or lack of business. What they get is subject to God’s will, not to theapparent causes people associate with profitable business: “Believers, know that theidolaters are certainly impure. So, let them not come near to the Sacred Mosque after this yearis ended. If you fear poverty, then in time God will enrich you with His own bounty, if He sowills. Truly, God is All-knowing, Wise.” (Verse 28)All these concerns which required reassurance and clear judgement are indicativeof the situation that prevailed in the Muslim state in Madinah. Had it not been for thefact that the Muslim community in Madinah was firm in its belief, stable andenlightened, these conditions might have represented a serious threat to it, and to thevery existence of Islam itself.Having given this detailed preview, we now begin to discuss the verses of thispassage in more detail.An Announcement is MadeDisavowal by God and His Messenger [is hereby announced] to those of the idolaterswith whom you have made a treaty. (Announce to them:) You may go freely in theland for four months, but you must realize that you can never escape God’sjudgement, and that God shall bring disgrace upon the unbelievers. And aproclamation from God and His Messenger is hereby made to all mankind on this dayof the greater pilgrimage: God is free from obligation to the idolaters, and so is HisMessenger. If you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, thenknow that you can never escape God’s judgement. Give the unbelievers the news ofgrievous suffering, except for those idolaters with whom you have made a treaty andwho have honoured their obligations [under the treaty] in every detail, and have notaided anyone against you. To these fulfil your obligations until their treaties have runtheir term. God loves those who are righteous. When these months of grace are over,slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive, besiege them, and liein wait for them at every conceivable place. Yet if they should repent, take to prayerand pay the zakāt, let them go their way. For God is Much-Forgiving, Merciful. If anyof the idolaters seeks asylum with you, grant him protection, so that he may hear theword of God, and then convey him to his place of safety. That is because the idolatersare people who lack knowledge. (Verses 1-6)46