9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, Tabuk 9H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَا كَانَ
لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ
أَن يَعْمُرُواْ
مَسَاجِدَ الله
شَاهِدِينَ
عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ
بِالْكُفْرِ...
9: 17. It is not for such as join gods with Allah, to visit or maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to infidelity.
C1266. 'Amara as applied to mosques implies the following ideas:
- to build or repair:
- to maintain in fitting dignity:
- to visit for purposes of devotion: and
- fill with light and life and activity.
For brevity I have only used "maintain" in the Translation. Before the preaching of Islam the Pagans built, repaired, and maintained the Mosque, and celebrated Pagan ceremonies in it. They made an income out of it. Islam protested, and the Pagans ejected Muslims and their Leader from Makkah and shut them out from the Ka'bah itself.
When the Muslims were strong enough to re-take Makkah (A.H. 8), they purified the Mosque and re-established the worship of the true God. If they became Muslims, it was a different matter. The further question arose: should they be allowed to visit it and practice their unseemly Pagan rites?
Obviously this would be derogatory to the dignity and honour of the Mosque, and was forbidden. This was the particular occasion to which the verse refers.
The general deduction is clear. A house of Allah is a place of sincere devotion, not a theatre for vulgar rites nor a source of worldly income. Only sincere Believers have a right of entry.
Who the sincere Believers are, is explained in the next verse.
...أُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ وَفِي النَّارِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ ﴿١٧﴾
The works of such bear no fruit:
in fire shall they dwell.
9: 17 Asad It is not for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend [note 26] God’s houses of worship, …….that they are denying the truth………..and they who in the fire shall abide! [note 27]
Pickthall It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide.
Transliteration Ma_ ka_na lil musyrikina ay ya'muru_ masa_jidalla_hi sya_hidina 'a_la_ anfusihim bil kufr(i), ula_'ika habitat a'ma_luhum, wa fin na_ri hum kha_lidu_n(a).