9. Surah At Tawbah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لاَّتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ...

9: 42. If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them.

...وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللّهِ لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ ...

They would indeed swear by Allah,

"If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you"

...يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ ...

they would destroy their own souls;

C1307. The arts and excuses of the Hypocrites are here exposed. If there had been booty in sight or an easy walk-over, they would have come. All their oaths are false, and in taking the false oaths they are destroying their spiritual life.

Indeed the backsliders are jeopardizing their own physical lives in hanging back. If the enemy succeeded, they would all suffer.

... وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾

for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

عَفَا اللّهُ ...

9: 43. Allah give thee grace!

C1308. Literally, "Allah give thee forgiveness!"

But there is no question of fault here, and Imam Razi understands the expression to mean an exclamation, -as one might say in English, "God bless you!"

In Shakespeare "God save you!" is a simple friendly greeting, without any question of danger: e. g., in "Much Ado about Nothing." iii. 2, 82.

Note that in 3:152, last clause, "forgiveness" is put in juxtaposition to "grace" as having closely allied meanings.

- kindness, because, in the urgency of the moment he did not wish any one who had a real excuse to be refused exemption:

- and policy, because, if any one did not come with hearty good-will, he would be a burden instead of a help to the army.

The policy was justified, because in fact 30,000 men or more followed him. But that did not in any way justify the slackers, and in a review of the position, the slackers and hypocrites are justly condemned.

... عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ وَتَعْلَمَ الْكَاذِبِينَ ﴿٤٣﴾

Why didst thou grant them exemption until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light, and thou hadst proved the liars?

لاَ يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ...

9: 44. Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption

...أَن يُجَاهِدُواْ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ...

from fighting with their goods and persons.

...وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٤٤﴾

And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.

إِنَّمَا يَسْتَأْذِنُكَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ...

9: 45. Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day,

...وَارْتَابَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي رَيْبِهِمْ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ ﴿٤٥﴾

and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.

C1309. Doubt takes away all stability of conduct, while Faith makes a man firm in action and cool and collected in mind.

Other versions:

9: 42 [at-Tawbah, Median 113, 9 H, after Tabuk expedition]

Asad Had there been [a prospect of] immediate gain, and an easy journey, they would certainly have followed thee, {O Prophet:] but the distance was too great for them [note 66]. And yet, [after your return, O believers,] they will swear by God, “Had we been able to do so, we would certainly have set our with you!” – [and by thus falsely swearing] they will be destroying their own selves; for God knows indeed that they are lying!

Yusuf Ali If there had been immediate gain (in sight) and the journey easy they would (all) without doubt have followed thee but the distance was long (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah "If we only could we should certainly have come out with you" they would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

Pickthall Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee, but the distance seemed too far for them. Yet will they swear by Allah (saying): If we had been able we would surely have set out with you. They destroy their souls, and Allah knoweth that they verily are liars.

Transliteration Lau ka_na 'aradan qaribaw wa safaran qa_sidal lattaba'u_ka wa la_kim ba'udat 'alaihimusy syuqqah(tu), wa sayahlifu_na billa_hi lawistata'na_ lakharajna_ ma'akum, yuhliku_na anfusahum, walla_hu ya'lamu innahum laka_zibu_n(a).

9: 43

Asad May God pardon thee [O Prophet]! [note 67] Why didst you grant them permission [to stay at home] ere it had become obvious to thee as to who was speaking the truth, and [ere] thou came to know [who were] the liars?

Yusuf Ali Allah give thee grace! Why didst thou grant them exemption until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light and thou hadst proved the liars?

Pickthall Allah forgive thee (O Muhammad)! Wherefore didst thou grant them leave ere those who told the truth were manifest to thee and thou didst know the liars?

Transliteration 'Afalla_hu 'ank(a), lima azinta lahum hatta_ yatabayyana lakal lazina sadaqu_ wa ta'lamal ka_zibin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 67 –All of the commentators agree in that this phrase, although expressed in the form of an invocation, has the meaning of a statement –“God pardons thee” or “has pardoned thee” – invocation, has the meaning of a statement – “God pardons thee” absolving the Prophet of any moral responsibility for his mistaken, but humanly understandable acceptance of equivocal pleas on the part of those who wished to be excused from participating in the campaign. To me it seems that this statement of “absolution” was primarily intended to free the Prophet from any self-reproach for his too-great liberality in this respect. (It should be borne in mind that his part of At-Tawbah was revealed during or immediately after the expedition.) ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 1308 Literally, "Allah give thee forgiveness!" But there is no question of fault here, and Imam Razi understands the expression to mean an exclamation,-as one might say in English, "God bless you!" In Shakespeare "God save you!" is a simple friendly greeting, without any question of danger: e.g., in "Much Ado about Nothing." iii. 2, 82. Note that in 0. iii. 152, last clause, "forgiveness" is put in juxtaposition to "grace" as having closely allied meanings.

What the Holy Prophet had done in the Tabuk expedition was that he had been granting exemptions which may appear from a military point of view too liberal. He was not actuated by motives of kindness as well as policy:- kindness, because, in the urgency of the moment he did not wish any one who had a real excuse to be refused exemption: and policy, because, if any one did not come with hearty good-will, he would be a burden instead of a help to the army. The policy was justified, because in fact 30,000 men or more followed him. But that did not in any way justify the slackers, and in a review of the position, the slackers and hypocrites are justly condemned. (9.43)

[[ Ruby’s notes – I strongly disagree with both Asad and Ali and all the previous commentators who are inclined to interpret this as God absolving the Prophet of any mistakes. On the contrary the previous verse and the statement immediately following “May God pardon thee” clearly charging the Prophet why he grant those people exemption knowing they were lying. The previous verse clearly exposed the hypocrisy, the character flaws of greed, etc. and their lying about their intention and the later statement, appears to me, clearly accusing the Prophet of the liberality and deviation from a good decision even knowing they were lying. God seems to be pointing clearly that the Prophet knowingly about their lying had excused those who wanted to be excused. Understanding the context of the Tabuk military expedition: it was an extremely important mission of defense of the territory of the Arab Peninsula from the possible invasion of Byzantines, at that time a superpower, and possibly signaling them with the gesture of unity and strength of the Arabs under the leadership of Prophet through the size of the defense and thus further deterring them to invade in future, it could amount to a mistake of allowing exemption from a military and strategic point of view.

In consideration of all these and the way these two verses are put together next to each other and articulated I have no doubt in my mind that God is exposing a weakness of the Prophet in his decision making process of an extremely important mission of defense.

The issue of pardoning the Prophet is deliberately put in here to convey this issue of error of judgment followed by the accusation that the Prophet knew that these people were lying and pretending. The last statement of the previous verse conveying that these people “would destroy their own souls “ is a serious accusation of moral and ethical failure to be the defaulter in a cause such as this. And thus exposing that the Prophet knowingly allowed that. This, I believe, is the gist of the meaning of these two verses. However the commentators, inclined too much to the infallibility of the Prophet is trying to convey something different. God’s forgiveness of the Prophet with respect to this error of judgment further establishes this ‘error of judgment’. God’s purpose of establishing the human fallibility of the Prophet is deviated by the usual inclinations of the followers to ascribe infallibility of the Prophet, which is a serious wrong, I believe. ]]

9: 44 [at-Tawbah, Median 113, 9 H, after Tabuk expedition

Asad Those who [truly] believe in God and the Last Day do not ask thee for expemtion from struggling with their possessions and their lives ………God has full knowledge as to who is conscious of Him.

Yusuf Ali Those who believe in Allah and the last day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.

Pickthall Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask no leave of thee lest they should strive with their wealth and their lives. Allah is Aware of those who keep their duty (unto Him).

Transliteration La_ yasta'zinukal lazina yu'minu_na billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri ay yuja_hidu_ bi amwa_lihim wa anfusihim, walla_hu 'alimum bil muttaqin(a).

9: 45

Yusuf Ali Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.

Pickthall They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.

Transliteration Innama_ yasta'zinukal lazina la_ yu'minu_na billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri warta_bat qulu_buhum fahum fi raibihim yataraddadu_n(a).

[[ See also verses preceding this 9:44 –

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