9. Surah At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ لاَ
تَتَّخِذُواْ
آبَاءكُمْ
وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ
أَوْلِيَاء
إَنِ اسْتَحَبُّواْ
الْكُفْرَ عَلَى
الإِيمَانِ...
9: 23. O ye who believe!
take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith:
...وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
if any of you do so, they do wrong.
قُلْ إِن
كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ
وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ
وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ
وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ...
9: 24. Say:
If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates,
...وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا...
or your kindred;
the wealth that ye have gained;
the commerce in which ye fear a decline;
...وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا ...
or the dwellings in which ye delight,
C1272. Man's heart clings to;
- his own kith and kin-parents, children, brothers and sisters, husbands or wives, or other relatives,
- wealth and prosperity,
- commerce or means of profit and gain, or
- noble buildings, for dignity or comfort.
If these are a hindrance in Allah's cause, we have to choose which we love most. We must love Allah even if it involves the sacrifice of all else.
... أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ ...
are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger,
or the striving in his cause;
...فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ...
then wait until Allah brings about His decision:
C1273. If we love our earthly ties and comfort's, profits and pleasures, more than we love Allah, and therefore fail to respond to Allah's cause, it is not Allah's cause which will suffer, Allah's purpose will be accomplished, with or without us. But our failure to respond to His will must leave us spiritually poorer, bereft of grace and guidance: "for Allah guides not the rebellious".
This is of universal application. But it was strikingly illustrated in the case of those faithful ones who obeyed the Prophet's call, left the comfort of their homes in Makkah and suffered exile in Madinah, gave up their trade and their possessions, strove and fought for Allah's cause, sometimes against their own kith and kin or their own tribesmen who were enemies of Islam. They won through. Others were not prepared for such sacrifice, but their failure did not stop the accomplishment of Allah's plan and purpose.
...وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٢٤﴾
and Allah guides not the rebellious.
Others version:
9: 23
Asad …………..it is they, they who are evildoers! [Note 31]
Yusuf Ali O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: if any of you do so they do wrong.
Pickthall O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong doers.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ tattakhizu_ a_ba_'akum wa ikhwa_nakum auliya_'a inistahabbul kufra 'alal ima_n(i), wa may yatawallahum minkum fa ula_'ika humuz za_limu_n(a).
[[ Asad 31 – The term walayah (“alliance” or “friendship”) is used in this context in the sense of an alliance against other believers, as in 3:28, (Regarding the wider. spiritual implications of this expression, see surah 4, note 154.) That is does not refer to “friendship” in the sense of normal human affection is obvious from the many exhortations in the Quran to be good to one’s parents and kinsfolk; and, more explicitly, from 60:8-9, where the believers are reminded that friendly relations with unbelievers who are not hostile to the Muslim community are permissible, and even desirable. (see also Manar X, 269 ff., where a similar interpretation is advanced.). ]]
[[ Ruby’s note 9:23 – Those who “take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith” are of extreme state of falsehood or spiritual death. A lot of people may doubt, a group may stubbornly or under many types of social pressures or even fearfully remain loyal to the old ways of doing things or status quo, or some people may remain indifferent and do not care because they are not serious in life one way or another, or some people who are very ignorant and reject out of ignorance. These people do not necessarily belong to the group talked about here who take “pleasure” in disbelief or ‘love infidelity above faith’. These are the people who deliberately chose a way, the wrong way reject truth. A deliberate and strong will against faith is what is implied in the Quran when punishment or commanding believers to reject these people with seriously flawed tendencies who cannot be trusted. Often there is no scruples among these people. ]]
9: 24
Yusuf Ali Say: If it be that your fathers your sons your brothers your mates or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline; or the dwellings in which ye delight are dearer to you than Allah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.
Pickthall Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrong doing folk.
Transliteration Qul in ka_na a_ba_'ukum wa abna_'ukum wa ikhwa_nukum wa azwa_jukum wa 'asyiratukum wa amwa_luniqtaraftumu_ha_ wa tija_ratun takhsyauna kasa_daha_ wa masa_kinu tardaunaha_ ahabba ilaikum minalla_hi wa rasu_lihi wa jiha_din fi sabilihi fa tarabbasu_ hatta_ ya'tiyalla_hu bi amrih(i), walla_hu la_ yahdil qaumal fa_siqin(a).