9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ...
9: 34. O ye who believe!
إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ...
there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in false hood devour the substance of men
C1291. Bil-batili: in falsehood. i.e., by false means, pretences, or in false or vain things.
This was strikingly exemplified in the history of Mediaeval Europe. Though the disease is apt to attack all peoples and organizations at all times. Priests got rich by issuing indulgences and dispensations; they made their office a stepping stone to worldly power and possessions.
Even the Monastic Orders, which took vows of poverty for individuals grew rich with corporate property, until their wealth became a scandal, even among their own nations.
...وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.
...وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah:
C1292. Misuse of wealth, property, and resources is frequently condemned, and in three ways:
1. do not acquire anything wrongfully or on false pretences;
2. do not hoard or bury or amass wealth for its own sake but use it freely for good, whether for yourself or for your neighbors; and
3. be particularly careful not to waste it for idle purposes, but only so that it may fructify for the good of the people.
...فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿٣٤﴾
announce unto them a most grievous penalty.
4: 94
Asad [Hence,] O you who have attained to faith, when you go forth [to war] in God’s cause, use your discernment, and do not - out of a desire for the fleeting gains of this worldly life – say unto anyone who offers you the greeting of peace, “You are not a believer” [note 119]: for with God there are gains abundant. You, too, were once in the same condition [note 120] – but God has been gracious unto you. Use, therefore, your discernment: verily, God is aware of what you do.
Pickthall O ye who believe! When ye go forth (to fight) in the way of Allah, be careful to discriminate, and say not unto one who offer you peace: "You are not a believer;" seeking the chance profits of this life (so that ye may despoil him). With Allah are plenteous spoils. Even thus (as he now is) were ye before; but Allah hath since then been gracious unto you. Therefore take care to discriminate. Allah is ever informed of what ye do.
Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ iza_ darabtum fi sabililla_hi fa tabayyanu_ wa la_ taqu_lu_ liman alqa_ ilaikumus salama lasta mu'mina_(n), tabtagu_na'aradal haya_tid dunya_, fa'indalla_hi maga_nimu kasirah(tun), kaza_lika kuntum min qablu fa mannalla_hu 'alaikum fa tabayyanu_, innalla_ha ka_na bima_ ta'malu_na khabira_(n).
[[ Ruby’s note – The emphasis that comes out of this verse is that God is exhorting to the believers to be extremely considerate to the non-Believers who are not belligerent reflecting on themselves that they were also once non-believers. This kind of exhortation is given when God wants the believers to be compassionate and humble towards non-Muslims. This verse categorically forbids killing anyone who is not a threat. Merely opposing a view or holding different faith and lifestyle do not constitute reason to kill or fight against.]]
[[ Asad’s note – 119 - ………This verse prohibits the treating of non-combatants as enemies and using their supposed unbelief as a pretext for plundering them. The injunction “use your discernment” (tabayyanu) impose on the believers the duty of making sure, in every case, whether the persons concerned are actively engaged in hostilities or not.
120 – Lit., “thus have you [too] been aforetime”. Since the preceding injunction refers to the whole community, it would seem that the above clause, too, bears the same implication: namely, a reference to the time when the Muslim community was, because of its weakness and numerical insignificance, at the mercy of enemies endowed with greater power. Thus, the believers are told, as it were: “Remember your erstwhile weakness, and treat the peacefully-minded among your enemies with the same consideration with which you yourselves were once hoping to be treated.” ]]