9. Surah At Tawbah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ...   

9: 100. The vanguard (of Islam) -- the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and (also) those who follow them in (all) good deeds,

C1348. The vanguard of Islam-those in the first rank-are those who dare and suffer for the Cause and never flinch. The first historical examples are the Muhajirs and the Ansar.

-        The Muhajirs-those who forsook their homes in Makkah and migrated to Madinah, the Holy Prophet being among the last to leave the post of danger, are mentioned first.

-        Then come the Ansar, the Helpers, the citizens of Madinah who invited them, welcomed them, and gave them aid, and who formed the pivot of the new Community.

-        Then are mentioned all who follow them in good deeds: not only the early heroes and ordinary men and women who had been Companions of the Prophet or had seen him, but men and women in all ages who have lived noble lives.

In spite of all their sacrifice and suffering they rejoice in the precious gift of the Good Pleasure of Allah, and their Salvation is the Supreme Felicity which such Good Pleasure gives, symbolized by the Gardens of Heaven.

... رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ عَنْهُ... 

well pleased is Allah with them, as are they with him:

... وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا... 

for them hath He prepared gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever:

... ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ﴿١٠٠﴾

that is the supreme felicity.

C1349. Note the description of the final accomplishment of the destiny of man. In mathematical science it would be like a letter or formula which would sum up a long course of reasoning.

In this very Surah it occurs before in 9:72 and 9:89, where see n. 1341. (R).

Pickthall’s Version:

9: 100

Asad And as for the first and foremost of those who have forsaken the domain of evil and of those who have sheltered and succored the Faith [note 132]………God is well-pleased with them, and well pleased are they with Him.……..

Pickthall And the first to lead the way, of the Muhajirin and the Ansar, and those who followed them in goodness--Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him and He hath made ready for them Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. That is the supreme triumph.

Transliteration Was sa_biqu_nal awwalu_na minal muha_jirina wal ansa_ri wallazina-ttaba'u_hum bi ihsa_n(ir), radiyalla_hu'anhum wa radu_ 'anhu wa a'adda lahum jannu_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_ abada_(n), za_likal fauzul 'azim(u).

[[ Asad’s note 132 – In the above context, the term “muhajirun” – lit., “emigrants”, rendered by me as “those who have forsaken the domain of evil” (see surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 124)- applies primarily to the Meccan followers of the Prophet who migrated (hajaru) from Mecca to Medina – which until then was called Yathrib – at a time when Mecca was still in the possession of the enemies of Islam; the “first and foremost” among them were the earliest emigrants, i.e., those who left Mecca in or before the year 622 of the Christian era (which marks the beginning of the Islamic hijri era) and in the course of the next few years, when the Muslim community at Median was still in danger and being overrun by the powerful Quraysh of Mecca. Similarly, the term ansar (lit., “helpers”) applies here to the early converts from among the people of Median who sheltered and succored (nasaru) their brethren in faith – the “first and foremost” among them being those who embraced Islam before the and shortly after the Prophet’s and his Comapnions’ exodus (hijrah) form Mecca. and particularly those who did so on the occasion of the two meetings, Al-Aws and Khazraj a little over a year and a few months, respectively, before the Prophet’s hijrah).

Apart, however, from their purely historical connotations, both the terms muhajirun and ansar bear in the Quran a spiritual meaning as well, and are often used to describe those who morally “forsake the domain of evil” and those who “shelter and succor the Faith” (see surah 8, note 78). ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 1348 The vanguard of Islam-those in the first rank-are those who dare and suffer for the Cause and never flinch. The first historical examples are the Muhajirs and the Ansar. The Muhajirs-those who forsook their homes in Makkah and migrated to Madinah, the Holy Prophet being among the last to leave the post of danger, are mentioned first. Then come the Ansar, the Helpers, the citizens of Madinah who invited them, welcomed them, and gave them aid, and who formed the pivot of the new Community. Then are mentioned all who follow them in good deeds: not only the early heroes and ordinary men and women who had been Companions of the Prophet or had seen him, but men and women in all ages who have lived noble lives. In spite of all their sacrifice and suffering they rejoice in the precious gift of the Good Pleasure of Allah, and their Salvation is the Supreme Felicity which such Good Pleasure gives. (9.100)

1349 Note the description of the final accomplishment of the destiny of man. In mathematical science it would be like a letter or formula which would sum up a long course of reasoning. In this very Sura it occurs before in ix. 72 and ix. 89, where see n. 1341. (9.100) ]]