9.Surah at-Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ
عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ
اللّهِ...
9: 30. The Jews call Uzayr a son of God,
C1283. In n. 718 to 5:18, 1 have quoted passages from the Old Testament, showing how freely the expression "sons of Allah" was used by the Jews. A sect of them called 'Uzair a son of Allah, according to Baidhawl.
In Appendix II (Surah 5) I have shown that the constitution of Judaism dates from 'Uzair (Ezra). The Christians still call Christ the Son of God.
...وَقَالَتْ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللّهِ...
and the Christians call Christ the son of God.
...ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ...
That is a saying from their mouths;
يُضَاهِؤُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَبْلُ...
(in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say.
C1284. Taking men for gods or sons of Allah was not a new thing. All ancient mythologies have fables of that kind. There was less excuse for such blasphemies after the Prophets of Allah had clearly explained out true relation to Allah than in the times of primitive ignorance and superstition.
...قَاتَلَهُمُ اللّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Allah's curse be on them:
how they are deluded away from the truth!
C1285. Cf. 5:75.
اتَّخَذُواْ
أَحْبَارَهُمْ
وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ
أَرْبَابًا
مِّن دُونِ
اللّهِ ...
9: 31. They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of Allah,
C1286. Ahbar: doctors of law; priests; learned men. Cf. 5:44. where they are associated with Rabbis.
Ruhban: monks, ascetics, anchorites, men who have renounced the world; where there is a celibate clergy, the term can be applied to them as well as to members of monastic orders.
It is also permissible to apply the term to "saints", where they are deified or credited with divine powers, or where people pray to them as they do in the Roman Catholic Church.
C1287. Priest worship, and the worship of saints and ascetics is a form of superstition to which men have been prone in all ages. The growth of Jewish superstition is shown in the Talmud, and of Christian superstition in the doctrine of papal infallibility and the worship of saints. The mere idea of a separate order of priesthood to stand between Allah and man and be the exclusive repository of Allah's secrets is derogatory to the goodness and all-pervading grace of Allah.
The worship of "lords many and gods many" was not confined only to the Pagans. The deification of the son of Mary is put here in a special clause by itself, as it held (and still holds) in its thrall a large portion of civilized humanity.
... وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ...
and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary;
...وَمَا أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا...
Yet they were commanded to worship but one God:
...لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ...
there is no god but He.
...سُبْحَانَهُ ...
Praise and glory to Him:
C1288. Cf. 6:100.
... عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
(far is He) from having the parents they associate (with him).
يُرِيدُونَ
أَن يُطْفِؤُواْ
نُورَ اللّهِ
بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ...
9: 32. Fain would they extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths,
C1289. With their mouths: there is a twofold meaning:
- the old-fashioned open oil lamps were extinguished by blowing with the mouth; the Unbelievers would like to blow out Allah's Light as it is a cause of offence to them;
- false teachers and preachers distort the Message of Allah by the false words of their mouth.
Their wish is to put out the light of Truth for they are people of darkness; but Allah will perfect His Light, i.e., make it shine all the brighter in the eyes of men.
His Light in itself is ever perfect, but it will penetrate the hearts of men more and more, and so become more and more perfect for them.
...وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
but Allah will not allow but that His Light should be perfected, even though the unbelievers may detest (it).
هُوَ الَّذِي
أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ
بِالْهُدَى
وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ...
9: 33. It is He who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and religion of truth,
...لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
to proclaim it over all religions, even though the pagans may detest (it).
C1290. Every religion which commends itself widely to human beings and lasts through some space of time has a glimpse of Truth in it. But Islam being the perfect light of Truth is bound to prevail.
As the greater Light, through its own strength, outshines all lesser lights, so will Islam outshine all else, in spite of the displeasure of those to whom light is an offence.
See also 48:28, n. 4912, and 61:9, n. 5442.
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.
يَوْمَ يُحْمَى
عَلَيْهَا فِي
نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ
فَتُكْوَى بِهَا
جِبَاهُهُمْ
وَجُنوبُهُمْ
وَظُهُورُهُمْ...
9: 35. On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs,
C1293. Gold and silver, symbolizing wealth which these people cherished even more than the good pleasure of their Lord, will not only be the cause but the instrument whereby they would receive a grievous punishment. (Ed.).
...هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ ...
"This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves:
C1294. The voice enforces the moral:
"did you expect satisfaction or salvation from the treasures that you misused?
Behold! they add to your torment!"
... فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾
taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"
9: 30
Asad And the Jews say, “Ezra is God’s son,” while the Christians say, :The Christ is God’s son.” Such are the sayings which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth! [note 44] [They deserve the imprecation:] “May God destroy them!” [note 45] How perverted are their minds! [note 46]
Pickthall And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (himself) fight against them. How perverse are they!
Transliteration Wa qa_latil yahu_du 'uzairunibnulla_hi wa qa_latin nasa_ra_l masihubnulla_h(i), za_lika qauluhum bi afwa_hihim, yuda_hi'u_na qaulal lazina kafaru_ min qabl(u), qa_talahumulla_h(u), anna_ yu'faku_n(a).
[[ Ruby’s note 9:30 – I vehemently disagree with Asad’s translation [see his note 45] “May God destroy them!’ This exhortation is inconsistent with the spirit of the Islam which necessitates followers to exhort “salam” or sincerely wishing “peace’ on all things, living and non-living, in the Universe at the conclusion of every prayer, five times a day. I may agree with Pickthall that God fights against such sins and wrongs meaning it is negative and undesirable indeed. It is my firm belief and inclination that one should always ask God to forgive oneself and others, no matter how grave the sin or wrong-doing is. God is capable of forgiving all human beings and all wrongs. He does reserve the right to do so. Therefore a believer even recognizing the wrong and failure, how grave it may be, should and can ask forgiveness from God and not His curse. This is the essence of this spirit of desiring or wishing peace on all others at the end of every prayer in Islam. In this case it may be idiomatic meaning and usage here. See Asad’s note 45 below. The cursing is against this ascribing divinity to other things rather than to the people who do it.]]
9: 31
Asad They have taken their rabbis and their monks as well as the Christ, son of Mary – for their lords beside God [note 47], although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!
Pickthall They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!
Transliteration Ittakhazu_ ahba_rahum wa ruhba_nahum arba_bam min du_nilla_hi wal masihabna maryam(a), wa ma_ umiru_ illa_ liya'budu_ ila_haw wa_hida_(n), la_ ila_ha illa_ huw(a), subha_nahu_ 'amma_ yusyriku_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 44 – This statement is connected with the preceding verse, which speaks of the erring followers of earlier revelation. The charge of ‘shirk” (“the ascribing of divinity…to aught beside God”) is levied against both the Jews and the Christians in amplification, as it were, of the statement that they “do not follow the religion of truth [which God has enjoined upon them]”.
As regards the belief attributed to the Jews that Ezra ( or, in the Arabicized form of this name, “Uzayr) was “God’s son”, it is to be noted that almost all classical commentators of the Quran agree in that only the Jews of Arabia, and not all Jews, have been thus accused. ……….On the other hand, Ezra occupies a unique position in the esteem of all Jews, and has always been praised by them in the most extravagant terms. It was he who restored and codified the Torah after it had been lost during the Babylonian Exile, and “edited” it in more or less the form which it has today: and thus “he promoted the establishment of an exclusive, legalistic type of religion that became dominat in later Judaism” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1963, vol lX, p.15). Ever since then he has been venerated to suc a degree that his verdicts on the Law of Moses have come to be regarded by the Talmudists as being practically equivalent to the Law itself: which, in Quranic ideology, amounts to the unforgivable sin of “shirk”, inasmuch as it implies the elevation of a human being to the status of a quasi-divine law-giver and the blasphemous attributes to him – albeit metaphorically – of the quality of “sonship” in relation to God. Cf. in this connection Exodus iv, 22-23 (“Israel is My son”) of Jeremiah xxxi, 9 (“I am a father to Israel”): expression to which, because of their idolatrous implications, the Quran takes strong exception. ]]
Asad’s note 45: - My interpolation, between brackets, of the words “they deserve the imprecation” is based on Zamakhshari’s and Razi’s convincing interpretation of this phrase. originally, the Arabs used the expression “may God destroy him” in the sense of a direct imprecation; but already in pre-Quranic Arabic it had assumed the character of an idiomatic device meant to circumscribe anything that is extremely strange or horrifying: and, according to many philologists, “this, rather than its literal meaning, is the purport [of this phrase] here” (Manar X, 399).
note 46 -- See surah 5, note 90.
note 47 – Cf. 3:64.]]
[[ Ali’s notes :
1283 In n. 718 to v. 18, 1 have quoted passages from the Old Testament, showing how freely the expression "sons of Allah" was used by the Jews. A sect of them called 'Uzair a son of Allah, according to Baidhawl. In Appendix II (Sura v.) I have shown that the constitution of Judaism dates from 'Uzair (Ezra). The Christians still call Christ the Son of Allah. (9.30)
1284 Taking men for gods or sons of Allah was not a new thing. All ancient mythologies have fables of that kind. There was less excuse for such blasphemies after the Prophets of Allah had clearly explained out true relation to Allah than in the times of primitive ignorance and superstition. (9.30)
1285 Cf. v. 75. (9.30)
1286 Ahbar: doctors of law; priests; learned men. Cf. v. 44. where they are associated with Rabbis. Ruhban: monks, ascetics, anchorites, men who have renounced the world; where there is a celibate clergy, the term can be applied to them as well as to members of monastic orders. It is also permissible to apply the term to "saints", where they are deified or credited with divine powers, or where people pray to them as they do in the Roman Catholic Church. (9.31)
1287 Priest worship, and the worship of saints and ascetics is a form of superstition to which men have been prone in all ages. The growth of Jewish superstition is shown in the Talmud, and of Christian superstition in the doctrine of papal infallibility and the worship of saints. The mere idea of a separate order of priesthood to stand between Allah and man and be the exclusive repository of Allah's secrets is derogatory to the goodness and all-pervading grace of Allah. The worship of "lords many and gods many" was not confined only to the Pagans. The deification of the son of Mary is put here in a special clause by itself, as it held (and still holds) in its thrall a large portion of civilised humanity. (9.31)
1288 Cf. vi. 100. (9.31) ]]
9: 32
Asad They want to extinguish God’s [guiding] light with their utterances: but God will not allow [this to pass], for He has Willed to spread His light in all its fullness [note 49], however hate ful this may be t all who deny the truth.
Pickthall Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.
Transliteration Yuridu_na ay yutfi'u_ nu_ralla_hi bi afwa_hihim wa ya'balla_hu illa_ ay yutimma nu_rahu_ wa lau karihal ka_firu_n(a).
9: 33
Asad He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion [note 50]– however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God.
Yusuf Ali It is He who hath sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth to proclaim it over all religions even though the pagans may detest (it).
Pickthall He it is who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.
Transliteration Huwal lazi arsala rasu_lahu_ bil huda_ wa dinil haqqi liyuzhirahu_ 'alad dini kullih(i), wa lau karihal musyriku_n(a).
9: 34
Pickthall O ye, who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ inna kasiram minal ahba_ri war ruhba_ni laya'kulu_na amwa_lan na_si bil ba_tili wa yasuddu_na 'an sabililla_h(i), wallazina yaknizu_naz zahaba wal fiddata wa la_ yunfiqu_naha_ fi sabililla_h(i), fa basysyirhum bi 'aza_bin alim(iy);
9: 35
Pickthall On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.
Transliteration Yauma yuhma_ 'alaiha_ fi na_ri jahannama fa tukwa_ biha_ jiba_huhum wa junu_buhum wa zuhu_ruhum, ha_za_ ma_ kanaztum li anfusikum fa zu_qu_ ma_ kuntum taknizu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s ntoe 49 – Lit., “except (illa) that He bring His light to completion”, or “to perfection”. The expression “for He has willed” (i.e., contrary to what the erring ones want), is here elliptically implied by means of the particle “illa”.
note 50 – Cf. 3:19 – “the only [true] religion in the sight of God is {man’s] self-surrenddr unto Him”. See also 61:8-9.]]
[[ Ali’s notes :
1289 With their mouths: there is a twofold meaning: (1) the old-fashioned open oil lamps were extinguished by blowing with the mouth; the Unbelievers would like to blow out Allah's Light as it is a cause of offence to them; (2) false teachers and preachers distort the Message of Allah by the false words of their mouth. Their wish is to put out the light of Truth for they are people of darkness; but Allah will perfect His Light, i.e., make it shine all the brighter in the eyes of men. His Light in itself is ever perfect, but it will penetrate the hearts of men more and more, and so become more and more perfect for them. (9.32)
1290 Every religion which commends itself widely to human beings and lasts through some space of time has a glimpse of Truth in it. But Islam being the perfect light of Truth is bound to prevail. As the greater Light, through its own strength, outshines all lesser lights, so will Islam outshine all else, in spite of the displeasure of those to whom light is an offence. See also xlviii. 28, n. 4912, and lxi. 9, n. 5442. (9.33)
1291 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. (9.34)
1292 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. (9.34)
1293 Gold and silver, symbolizing wealth which these people cherished even more than the good pleasure of their Lord, will not only be the cause but the instrument whereby they would receive a grievous punishment. (9.35)
1294 The voice enforces the moral: "did you expect satisfaction or salvation from the treasures that you misused? Behold! they add to your torment!" (9.35) ]]