Surah 9, At-Tawbah (The Repentance), Medina 1139,
[ Continuation of sura no.8 in 8H , before Tabuk Expedition in 9H ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s translation:
وَمِنَ
الأَعْرَابِ
مَن يُؤْمِنُ
بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ
الآخِرِ...
9: 99. But some of the desert Arabs believe in God and the Last Day,
... وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ قُرُبَاتٍ عِندَ اللّهِ وَصَلَوَاتِ الرَّسُولِ...
and look on their payments as pious gifts bringing them nearer to God and obtaining the prayers of the Messenger.
... أَلا إِنَّهَا قُرْبَةٌ لَّهُمْ ...
Aye, indeed they bring them nearer (to Him):
... سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ اللّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ...
soon will God admit them to His Mercy:
... إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٩٩﴾
for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Transliteration Wa minal a'ra_bi may yu'minu billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri wa yattakhizu ma_ yunfiqu quruba_tin 'indalla_hi wa salawa_tir rasu_l(i), ala_ innaha_ qurbatul lahum, sayudkhiluhumulla_hu fi rahmatih(i), innalla_ha gafu_rur rahim(un).
9: 99
Asad
However, among the Bedouin there are [also] such as believe in God and the Last Day, and regard all that they spend [in God’s cause] as a means of drawing then nearer to God and of [their being remembered in ] the Apostle’s prayers. Oh, verily, it shall [indeed be a means of [God’s] nearness to them………………..
Pickthall
And of the wandering Arabs there is he who believeth in Allah and the Last day, and taketh that which he expand and also the prayers of the messenger as acceptable offerings in the sight of Allah. Lo! verily it is an acceptable offering for them. Allah will bring them into His mercy. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
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Ali’s comments:
1347. The Mercy of Allah is always present, as the sun is always shining. But when we have prepared ourselves to receive it, we come to the full enjoyment of it, as a man who was in a shade comes out by his effort into the open, and basks in sunshine.
Context:
وَمِنَ الأَعْرَابِ
مَن يَتَّخِذُ
مَا يُنفِقُ
مَغْرَمًا
وَيَتَرَبَّصُ
بِكُمُ الدَّوَائِرَ...
9: 98. Some of the desert Arabs Look upon their payments as a fine, and watch for disasters for you:
... عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ السَّوْءِ وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٩٨﴾
on them be the disaster of evil:
for Allah is He that heareth and knoweth (all things).
Ali’s comments on 9:98
1346. The payments refer to the regular Charity established by Islam-the obligatory alms. If you look upon them as a fine or a burden, their virtue is lost.
If you rejoice that you have there an opportunity of helping the Community to maintain its standards of public assistance and to suppress the unseemly beggary and loathsome importunity whose relief is only governed by motives of getting rid of awkward obstacles on the way, then your outlook is entirely different. You wish for organized and effective efforts to solve the problems of human poverty and misery.
In doing so, you get nearer to Allah, and you earn the good wishes and prayers of godly men, led by our Holy Leader Mustafa.