9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ مَا
لَكُمْ ...
9: 38. O ye who believe!
what is the matter with you,
C1299. The immediate reference is to the expeditions to Tabuk (A.H. 9), for which see the Introduction to this Surah.
But the lesson is perfectly general. When a call is made on behalf of a great cause, the fortunate ones are those who have the privilege of responding to the call.
The unfortunate ones are those who are so engrossed in their parochial affairs that they turn a deaf ear to the appeal. They are suffering from a spiritual disease.
... إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الأَرْضِ...
then, when ye are asked to go forth in the Cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth?
C1300. The choice is between two courses:
- will you choose a noble adventure and the glorious privilege of following your spiritual leader, or
- grovel in the earth for some small worldly gain or for fear of worldly loss?
The people who hesitated to follow the call of Tabuk were deterred by;
- the heat of the summer, in which tile expedition was undertaken on account of the threat to the existence of the little community, and
- the fear of losing the fruit harvest, which was ripe for gathering.
...أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الآخِرَةِ...
Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter?
...فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ ﴿٣٨﴾
But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter.
إِلاَّ
تَنفِرُواْ
يُعَذِّبْكُمْ
عَذَابًا
أَلِيمًا...
9: 39. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty,
C1301. Tanfiru: go forth, march onward, be ready to strive and suffer.
For this is the condition of all progress in the spiritual and moral, as well as in the physical, world. According to the homely English proverb, God helps those who help themselves.
Inactivity and lethargy are fatal. No one can rest on his oars. Man is not necessary to Allah, but Allah is necessary to man. If a nation receives favours and fails to deserve them, it will be replaced by another: as has so often happened in history. We may take this as a special warning to Islamic nations.
...وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلاَ تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا...
and put others in your place;
but Him ye would not harm in the least.
...وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿٣٩﴾
For Allah hath power over all things.
إِلاَّ تَنصُرُوهُ
فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ
اللّهُ ...
9: 40. If ye help not (your Leader), (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him:
C1302. The Tabuk expedition was not a failure. Though some hesitated, many more joined in.
But a more striking example was when the Prophet was hunted out of Makkah and performed his famous Hijrah. His enemies plotted for his life. He had already sent his followers on to Madinah. Ali had volunteered to face his enemies in his house. His single companion was Abu Bakr.
They two concealed themselves in the cave of Thaur, three miles from Makkah, for three nights, with the enemy prowling around in great numbers in fruitless search of them.
"We are but two," said Abu Bakr.
"Nay," said Muhammad, "for Allah is with us."
Faith gave their minds peace, and Allah gave them safety. They reached Madinah, and a glorious chapter opened for Islam. The forces that helped them were not seen, but their power was irresistible. (R).
... إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ...
when the unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion:
C1303. Literally, "The second of two," which afterwards became Abu Bakr's proud title.
إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ...
they two were in the cave,
...إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لاَ تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَنَا...
and he said to his companion,
"Have no fear, for Allah is with us":
...فَأَنزَلَ اللّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا...
then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not,
C1304. Cf. 9:26.
...وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ السُّفْلَى وَكَلِمَةُ اللّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا...
and humbled to the depths the word of the unbelievers.
But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights:
C1305. The superlatives in the Arabic I have rendered by the periphrasis, "humbled to the depths" and "exalted to the heights," as they accord better with the genius of the English language.
The enemies of Islam had boasted that they would root it out: the result showed them up as ridiculous and despicable.
...وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾
for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.
9: 38
Asad O you who have attend to faith! What is amiss with you that, when you are called upon, “Go forth to war in God’s cause,” you cling heavily to the earth? [note 59]….But the enjoyment of life in this world is but a paltry thing when compared with the life to come!
Pickthall O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ ma_ lakum iza_ qila lakumunfiru_ fi sabililla_hissa_qaltum ilal ard(i), araditum bil haya_tid dunya_ minal a_khirah(ti), fama_ mata_'ul haya_tid dunya_ fil a_khirati illa_ qalil(un).
[[ Asad’s ntoe 59 – ………………This verse – as well as most of this surah from here onward – alludes to the campaign of Tabuk, in the year 9H. The immediate reason for this expedition was the information which the Prophet received to the effect that the Byzantines, made apprehensive by the rapid growth of Islam in Arabia and incited by the Prophet’s enemy Abu Amir (see note 142 on verse 107 of this surah), were assembling large forces on the confines of the Peninsula with a view to marching against Medina and overthrowing the Muslims. To guard against such an assault, the Prophet assembled the strongest force the Muslims were capable of, and set out in the month of Rajib, 9H, towards the frontier. On reaching Tabuk, about half-way between Medina and Damascus, the Prophet ascertained that the Byzantines were either not yet ready to invade Arabia or had entirely given up the idea for the time being; and so – in accordance with the Islamic principle that war may be waged only in self-defense – he returned with his followers to Medina without engaging in hostilities.
At the time of preparation for this expedition, the hypocrites and a minority among the believers displayed an extreme reluctance (referred to in this and the following verses) to embark on a war with Byzantium: and it is this minority that the above verse reproaches for “clinging heavily to the earth” (Manar X, 493).
9: 39
Pickthall If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other then you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Illa_ tanfiru_ yu'azzibkum 'aza_ban alima_(w), wa yastabdil qauman gairakum wa la_ tadurru_hu syai'a_(n), walla_hu 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
9: 40
Pickthall If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
Transliteration Illa_ tansuru_hu faqad nasarahulla_hu iz akhrajahul lazina kafaru_ sa_niyasnaini iz huma_ fil ga_ri iz yaqu_lu lisa_hibihi la_ tahzan innalla_ha ma'ana_, fa anzalalla_hu sakinatahu_ 'alaihi wa ayyadahu_ bi junu_dil lam tarauha_ wa ja'ala kalimatal lazina kafarus sufla_, wa kalimatulla_hi hiyal 'ulya_, walla_hu 'azizun hakim(un).
[[ Ali’s notes -
1299 The immediate reference is to the expeditions to Tabuk (A.H. 9), for which see the Introduction to this Sura. But the lesson is perfectly general. When a call is made on behalf of a great cause, the fortunate ones are those who have the privilege of responding to the call. The unfortunate ones are those who are so engrossed in their parochial affairs that they turn a deaf ear to the appeal. They are suffering from a spiritual disease. (9.38)
1300 The choice is between two courses: will you choose a noble adventure and the glorious privilege of following your spiritual leader, or grovel in the earth for some small worldly gain or for fear of worldly loss? The people who hesitated to follow the call of Tabuk were deterred by (1) the heat of the summer, in which the expedition was undertaken on account of the threat to the existence of the little community, and (2) the fear of losing the fruit harvest, which was ripe for gathering. (9.38)
1301 Tanfiru= go forth, march onward, be ready to strive and suffer. For this is the condition of all progress in the spiritual and moral, as well as in the physical, world. According to the homely English proverb, God helps those who help themselves. Inactivity and lethargy are fatal. No one can rest on his oars. Man is not necessary to Allah, but Allah is necessary to man. If a nation receives favours and fails to deserve them, it will be replaced by another: as has so often happened in history. We may take this as a special warning to Islamic nations. (9.39)
1302 The Tabuk expedition was not a failure. Though some hesitated, many more joined in. But a more striking example was when the Prophet was hunted out of Makkah and performed his famous Hijrat. His enemies plotted for his life. He had already sent his followers on to Madinah. Ali had volunteered to face his enemies in his house. His single companion was Abu Bakr. They two concealed themselves in the cave of Thaur, three miles from Makkah, for three nights, with the enemy prowling around in great numbers in fruitless search of them. "We are but two," said Abu Bakr. "Nay," said Muhammad, "for Allah is with us." Faith gave their minds peace, and Allah gave them safety. They reached Madinah, and a glorious chapter opened for Islam. The forces that helped them were not seen, but their power was irresistible. (9.40)
1303 "The second of two," which afterwards became Abu Bakr's proud title. (9.40)
1304 Cf. ix. 26. (9.40)
1305 The superlatives in the Arabic I have rendered by the periphrasis, "humbled to the depths" and "exalted to the heights," as they accord better with the genius of the English language. The enemies of Islam had boasted that they would root it out: the result showed them up as ridiculous and despicable. (9.40)
1306 Whether equipped lightly or heavily: to be taken both literally and metaphorically. All were invited, and they were to bring such resources as they had, light- armed or heavy-armed, on foot or mounted, experienced men for posts of danger, raw men for duties for which they were fit. All would and should help. Even those who were too old or feeble to go could contribute such money or resources as they had. (9.41)
1307 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 jeopardising their own physical lives in hanging back. If the enemy succeeded, they would all suffer. (9.42) ]]