9. [at-Tawbah, Meidan 113, 9 H after Tabuk]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَلَمَّا آتَاهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُواْ بِهِ وَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٧٦﴾

9: 76. But when He did bestow of His bounty, they became covetous, and turned back (from their Covenant), averse (from its fulfillment).

فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُواْ اللّهَ...

9: 77. So He hath put as a consequence hypocrisy into their hearts, (to last) till the day whereon they shall meet Him:

C1332. If men are false to their covenants and words, the natural consequence will be hypocrisy to cover their falsehood. Such consequences will last till the Day of Judgment, when they will have to account for their deeds.

They may think that they are deceiving men by their hypocrisy, but they cannot deceive Allah, to Whom all their most secret thoughts and plots and doings are known.

...مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْذِبُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾

because they broke their Covenant with Allah, and because they lied (again and again).

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ...

9: 78. Know they not that Allah doth know their secret (thoughts) and their secret counsels,

...وَأَنَّ اللّهَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ ﴿٧٨﴾

and that Allah knoweth well all things unseen?

الَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ الْمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ...

9: 79. Those who slander such of the believers as give themselves freely to (deeds of) charity,

...وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ إِلاَّ جُهْدَهُمْ فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ...

as well as such as can find nothing to give except the fruits of their labor, and throw ridicule on them,

C1333. When financial help is necessary for the Cause, every Muslim contributes what he can. Those who can afford large sums are proud to bring them in of their own free-will, and those who are very poor contribute their mite or their labour.

Both kinds of gifts are equally precious because of the faith and good-will behind them, and only cynics will laugh at the scantiness of the one or the lavishness of the other.

Sometimes they not only laugh, but attribute wrong motives to the givers. Such conduct is here reprimanded.

...سَخِرَ اللّهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٧٩﴾

Allah will throw back their ridicule on them:

and they shall have a grievous penalty.

اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لاَ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ...

9: 80. Whether thou ask for their forgiveness or not, (their sin is unforgivable):

...سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَن يَغْفِرَ اللّهُ لَهُمْ...

if thou ask seventy times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them:

C1334. An awful warning for those who actively oppose the Cause of Allah.

The Holy Prophet was by nature full of mercy and forgiveness. He prayed for his enemies. But in such a case even his prayers are nullified by their attitude of rejecting Allah.

...ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ...

because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger;

...وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٨٠﴾

and Allah guideth not those who are perversely rebellious.

Other Versions:

9: 76

Asad But as soon as He has given them [aught] out of His bounty, they cling to it niggardly, and turn away in their obstinacy [from all that they have bowed]:

Pickthall Yet when He gave them of His bounty, they boarded it and turned away, averse;

Transliteration Falamma_ a_ta_hum min fadlihi bakhilu_ bihi wa tawallau wa hum mu'ridu_n(a).

9: 77

Asad whereupon He causes hypocrisy to take root in their hearts, [therein to remain] until the Day on which they shall meet Him [note 105] - because they have failed to fulfill the vow which they had made unto God, and because they were wont to lie [note 106].

Pickthall So He hath made the consequence (to be) hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied.

Transliteration Fa a'qabahum nifa_qan fi qulu_bihim ila_ yaumi yalqaunahu_ bima_ akhlafulla_ha ma_ wa'adu_hu wa bima_ ka_nu_ yakzibu_n(a).

[[ Ali’s notes -

1332 If men are false to their covenants and words, the natural consequence will be hypocrisy to cover their falsehood. Such consequences will last till the Day of Judgment, when they will have to account for their deeds. They may think that they are deceiving men by their hypocrisy, but they cannot deceive Allah, to Whom all their most secret thoughts and plots and doings are known. (9.77)

1333 When financial help is necessary for the Cause, every Muslim contributes what he can. Those who can afford large sums are proud to bring them in of their own free-will, and those who are very poor contribute their mite or their labour. Both kinds of gifts are equally precious because of the faith and good-will behind them, and only cynics will laugh at the scantiness of the one or the lavishness of the other. Sometimes they not only laugh, but attribute wrong motives to the givers. Such conduct is here reprimanded. (9.79)

1334 An awful warning for those who actively oppose the Cause of Allah. The Holy Prophet was by nature full of mercy and forgiveness. He prayed for his enemies. But in such a case even his prayers are nullified by their attitude of rejecting Allah. (9.80) ]]

9: 78

Pickthall Know they not that Allah knoweth both their secret and the thought that they confide, and that Allah is the Knower of Things Hidden?

Transliteration Alam ya'lamu_ annalla_ha ya'lamu sirrahum wa najwa_hum wa annalla_ha 'alla_mul guyu_b(i).

9: 79

Pickthall Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavors, and deride them Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom.

Transliteration Alazina yalmizu_nal muttawwi'ina minal mu'minina fis sadaqa_ti wallazina la_ yajidu_na illa_ juhdahum fa yaskharu_na minhum, sakhiralla_hu minhum, wa lahum 'azu_bun alim(un).

9: 80

Asad ………if you were to pray seventy times [note 110]….

Pickthall Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Transliteration Istagfir lahum au la_ tastagfir lahum, in tastagfir lahum sab'ina marratan fa lay yagfiralla_hu lahum, za_lika bi annahum kafaru_ billa_hi wa rasu_lih(i), walla_hu la_ yahdil qaumal fa_siqin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 110 – I.e., many times. In Arabic usage, the number “seventy” often stands for “many”, just as “seven” is a synonym for “several” ………….It is evident from many authentic Traditions (recorded, among others, by Bukhari and Muslim) …….that the Prophet often prayed to God that He pardon his enemies.]]

[[ Ali’s notes -