9. Surah At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ
اللّهُ فِي
مَوَاطِنَ
كَثِيرَةٍ...
9: 25. Assuredly Allah did help you in many battlefields
...وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ ...
and on the day of Hunayn:
C1274. Hunayn is on the road to Taif from Makkah about fourteen miles to the east of Makkah. It is a valley in the mountainous country between Makkah and Taif.
Immediately after the conquest of Makkah, (A.H. 8), the Pagan idolaters, who were surprised and chagrined at the wonderful reception which Islam was receiving, organized a great gathering near Taif to concert plans for attacking the Prophet.
The Hawazin and the Thaqif tribes took the lead and prepared a great expedition for Makkah, boasting of their strength and military skill. There was on the other hand a wave of confident enthusiasm among the Muslims at Makkah, in which the new Muslims joined. The enemy forces numbered about 4,000 but the Muslim force reached a total of ten or twelve thousand, as every one wished to join. The battle was joined at Hunain, as described in the next note.
... إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْئًا...
Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught:
...وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ...
the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you,
...ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾
and ye turned back in retreat.
C1275. For the first time the Muslims had at Hunayn tremendous odds in their favour. But this itself constituted a danger. Many in their ranks had more enthusiasm than wisdom, more a spirit of elation than of faith and confidence in the righteousness of their cause.
The enemy had the advantage of knowing the ground thoroughly. They laid an ambush in which the advance guard of the Muslim forces was caught. The country is hilly, in which the enemy concealed himself. As soon as the Muslim vanguard entered the Hunain valley, the enemy fell upon them with fury and caused havoc with their arrows from their places of concealment.
In such ground the numbers of the Muslims were themselves a disadvantage. Many were slain, and many turned back in confusion and retreat. But the Prophet, as ever, was calm in his wisdom and faith. He rallied his forces and inflicted the most crushing defeat on the enemy.
ثُمَّ
أَنَزلَ اللّهُ
سَكِينَتَهُ
عَلَى رَسُولِهِ
وَعَلَى
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ...
9: 26. But Allah did pour His calm on the Messenger and on the believers
C1276. Sakin: calm, peace, security, tranquility.
Cf. 2:248.
The Prophet never approved of over-weening confidence, or reliance merely upon human strength, or human resources or numbers. In the hour of danger and seeming disaster, he was perfectly calm, and with cool courage relied upon the help of Allah. Whose standard he carried. His calmness inspired all around him, and stopped the rout of those who had turned their backs.
It was with Allah's help that they won, and their victory was complete. They followed it up with an energetic pursuit of the enemies, capturing their camps, their flocks and herds, and their families, whom they had boastfully brought with them in expectation of an easy victory.
...وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعذَّبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ...
and sent down forces which ye saw not:
He punished the unbelievers:
...وَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٢٦﴾
thus doth He reward those without faith.
ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ
اللّهُ مِن
بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ
عَلَى مَن
يَشَاء...
9: 27. Again will Allah, after this, turn (in mercy) to whom He will:
C1277. Examples of Allah's mercy and grace in difficult circumstances in one case illustrate His grace and mercy at all times to those who have faith.
...وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٢٧﴾
for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
9: 25
Asad Indeed, God has succored you on many battlefields, …….and on the Day of Hunayn, when you took pride in your great numbers and they proved of no avail whatever to you – for the earth, despite all its vastness, became [too] narrow for you and you turned back, retreating [note 33]:
Pickthall Allah hath given you victory on many fields and on the day of Huneyn, when ye exulted in your multitude but it availed you naught, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then ye turned back in flight;
Transliteration Laqad nasarakumulla_hu fi mawa_tina kasirah(tiw), wa yauma hunain(in), iz a'jabatkum kasratukum falam tugni 'ankum syai'aw wa da_qat 'alaikumul ardu bima_ rahubat summa wallaitum mudbirin(a).
9: 26
Asad …………..and bestowed [upon you] from on high forces which you could not see [note 34]……….for such is the recompense of all who deny the truth!
Pickthall Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon His messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts ye could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the reward of disbelievers.
Transliteration Summa anzalalla_hu sakinatahu_ 'ala_ rasu_lihi wa 'alal mu'minina wa anzala junu_dal lam tarauha_ wa 'azzabal lazina kafaru_, wa za_lika jaza_'ul ka_firin(a).
9: 27
Asad But with all this, God will turn in His mercy unto whom He wills: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace [note 36].
Pickthall Then afterward Allah will relent toward whom He will; for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
Transliteration Summa yatu_bulla_hu mim ba'di za_lika 'ala_ ma_ yasya_'(u), walla_hu gafu_rur rahim(un).
[[ Ali’s notes - 1274 Hunain is on the road to Taif from Makkah about fourteen miles to the east of Makkah. It is a valley in the mountainous country between Makkah and Taif. Immediately after the conquest of Makkah, (A.H. 8), the Pagan idolaters, who were surprised and chagrined at the wonderful reception which Islam was receiving, organized a great gathering near Taif to concert plans for attacking the Prophet. The Hawazin and the Thaqif tribes took the lead and prepared a great expedition for Makkah, boasting of their strength and military skill. There was on the other hand a wave of confident enthusiasm among the Muslims at Makkah, in which the new Muslims joined. The enemy forces numbered about 4,000 but the Muslim force reached a total of ten or twelve thousand, as every one wished to join. The battle was joined at Hunain, as described in the next note. (9.25)
1275 For the first time the Muslims had at Hunain tremendous odds in their favour. But this itself constituted a danger. Many in their ranks had more enthusiasm than wisdom, more a spirit of elation than of faith and confidence in the righteousness of their cause. The enemy had the advantage of knowing the ground thoroughly. They laid an ambush in which the advance guard of the Muslim forces was caught. The country is hilly, in which the enemy concealed himself. As soon as the Muslim vanguard entered the Hunain valley, the enemy fell upon them with fury and caused havoc with their arrows from their places of concealment. In such ground the numbers of the Muslims were themselves a disadvantage. Many were slain, and many turned back in confusion and retreat. But the Prophet, as ever, was calm in his wisdom and faith. He rallied his forces and inflicted the most crushing defeat on the enemy. (9.25)
1276 Sakina: calm, peace, security, tranquility. Cf. ii. 248. The Prophet never approved of over-weening confidence, or reliance merely upon human strength, or human resources or numbers. In the hour of danger and seeming disaster, he was perfectly calm, and with cool courage relied upon the help of Allah, Whose standard he carried. His calmness inspired all around him, and stopped the rout of those who had turned their backs. It was with Allah's help that they won, and their victory was complete. They followed it up with an energetic pursuit of the enemies, capturing their camps, their flocks and herds, and their families, whom they had boastfully brought with them in expectation of an easy victory. (9.26)
1277 Examples of Allah's mercy and grace in difficult circumstances in one case illustrate His grace and mercy at all times to those who have faith. (9.27) ]]
[[ Asad’s note 33 – The battle of Hunayn, a valley situated on one of the roads leading from Mecca to Taif, took place in the year 8H, shortly after the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims. The latters’ opponents were the pagan tribes of Hawazin (in those territory the valley lay) and their allies , the Banu Thaqif. The Muslim army- reinforced by many newly-converted Meccans - comprised about twelve thousand men, whereas the Hawazin and Thaqif had only one-third of that number at their disposal. Relying on their great numerical superiority, the Muslims were over–confident and apparently, careless. In the narrow defiles beyond the oasis of Hunayn they fell into an ambush prepared by the tribesmen and began to retreat in disorder after heavy losses had been inflicted on the by the Bedouin archers. It was only the example of the Prophet and his early adherents )the Meccans muhajirun and the ansar from Medina) that saved the day and turned initial rout of the Muslims into a decisive victory. ……
Note 34 – I.e., spiritual forces. Cf. 3: 124-125 (relating to the battle of Uhud) and the corresponding more, as well as 8:9 (which refer to the Battle of Badr)……….]]
Asad’s note Note 36 - Most of the commentators (e.g. Tabari, Baghawi, Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathin) understood this verse as relating to the unbelievers and having a general import; Razi, however, thinks that it refers to the believers who behaved badly at the opening state of the battle of Hunayn. In my opinion, the former interpretation is preferable. ( See also last sentence of verse 15 and note 22 above.) ]]
[[ Ruby’s note 9:25 – This verse is pointing our that pride and elation in strength and power and overconfidence are not good: these false assessment of the causes and consequences are often the reason for downfall and defeat. A true believer should remain humble and retain humility especially in a state of great strength, victory or empowerment that even after all the achievements there could lay a great fall and defeat if one is not humble. Pride produces arrogance and that is the cause of downfall and failure. The cause of all causes is God and His moral law in existence. If one takes the right steps cherish humility and be steadfast and persevere – whether in apparent weakness and disadvantages or in apparent strength and advantages – one would be victorious and successful ultimately.
Ruby’s note 9:26 The recompense for the wrongdoer and rejecters is that they at times may feel victorious and successful but this false sense would be proven wrong and downfall and defeat would come ultimately.]]
Ruby’s note 9: 27 – I agree with Asad and others that this forgiveness and mercy later is for the unbelievers who fought against the Muslims. God is naturally Forgiving and Merciful to believers for their failures and mistakes. The construction of the verse and the placement implies that God may become Merciful and provide guidance to the ones who are the enemy in this. Historically, many of these people converted and became Muslims.]]