At-Tawbah 9:73
The Repentance · Juz 10 · Page 199
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ جَٰهِدِ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱغۡلُظۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ٧٣
O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 9:73
In the last verse (73): جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ (carry out Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites and be strict with them), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been commanded to wage Jihad against disbelievers and hypocrites both and to be strict in their case. The need to fight against belligerent disbelievers is self-evident. But, the meaning of carrying out Jihad against the hypocrites is explained by the very conduct of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . It proves that Jihad against them signifies vocal Jihad through which they should be induced to understand the veracity of Islam, start to feel for it and thus become sincere in their adherence to Islam. (Qurtubi and Mazhari) Please bear in mind that the real meaning of the word: غلظ (ghilaz) used in: واَغلظ (and be strict with them) is that one should not show any leniency or grant any concessions in taking a course of action which the person ad-dressed deserves. This word is used as an antonym to رأفۃ (ra'fah) which means mercy and kindheartedness.
In his comments, Imam al-Qurtubi has said that the use of the word: ghilzah (strictness) at this place means that leniency should not be shown and concessions should not be granted when the injunctions of Sharl'ah are enforced on them. This approach has nothing to do with being vocally strict - because, that is against the favored practice of the blessed prophets. They are never harsh in speech, nor do they curse and swear. In Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said: اِذ ازَنَت اَمَۃُ اَحَدِکُم فَلیَجِلدُھَا الحَدّ ولا یُشَرِّب عَلَیھَا (If a bondwoman of anyone among you commits fornication, just enforce the Islamic legal punishment for it on her - but, do not denounce her verbally) (Qurtubi)
Alluding to the persona of the Holy Prophet ﷺ - the image he exuded in his presence before people - Allah Ta` ala has Himself said: وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ (and had you been rough and hard hearted, they would have dispersed from around you - 3:159). Then, there is no evidence even from the actual dealings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that he ever demonstrated any harsh attitude in conversation or address before disbelievers and hypocrites.
A warning signal
It is certainly a matter of regret that the attitude of harshness in address and conversation was something Islam never took to even against Kuffar, the rigid and hostile disbelievers. But, contemporary Muslims would not bat an eye and use it against other Muslims - not to say much about many of those who would congratulate themselves for having done this as some service to their religion. Innalillah ...
Page 199
9:73
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ جَٰهِدِ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱغۡلُظۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ٧٣
O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination.
9:74
يَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ مَا قَالُواْ وَلَقَدۡ قَالُواْ كَلِمَةَ ٱلۡكُفۡرِ وَكَفَرُواْ بَعۡدَ إِسۡلَٰمِهِمۡ وَهَمُّواْ بِمَا لَمۡ يَنَالُواْۚ وَمَا نَقَمُوٓاْ إِلَّآ أَنۡ أَغۡنَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۚ فَإِن يَتُوبُواْ يَكُ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡۖ وَإِن يَتَوَلَّوۡاْ يُعَذِّبۡهُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚ وَمَا لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِن وَلِيّٖ وَلَا نَصِيرٖ ٧٤
They swear by Allāh that they did not say [anything against the Prophet (ﷺ)] while they had said the word of disbelief and disbelieved after their [pretense of] Islām and planned that which they were not to attain.1 And they were not resentful except [for the fact] that Allāh and His Messenger had enriched them of His bounty.2 So if they repent, it is better for them; but if they turn away, Allāh will punish them with a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And there will not be for them on earth any protector or helper.
9:75
۞ وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ عَٰهَدَ ٱللَّهَ لَئِنۡ ءَاتَىٰنَا مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٧٥
And among them are those who made a covenant with Allāh, [saying], "If He should give us from His bounty, we will surely spend in charity, and we will surely be among the righteous."
9:76
فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦ بَخِلُواْ بِهِۦ وَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ ٧٦
But when He gave them from His bounty, they were stingy with it and turned away while they refused.
9:77
فَأَعۡقَبَهُمۡ نِفَاقٗا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يَلۡقَوۡنَهُۥ بِمَآ أَخۡلَفُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡذِبُونَ ٧٧
So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed Allāh in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.
9:78
أَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ سِرَّهُمۡ وَنَجۡوَىٰهُمۡ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ ٧٨
Did they not know that Allāh knows their secrets and their private conversations and that Allāh is the Knower of the unseen?
9:79
ٱلَّذِينَ يَلۡمِزُونَ ٱلۡمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ فِي ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ إِلَّا جُهۡدَهُمۡ فَيَسۡخَرُونَ مِنۡهُمۡ سَخِرَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۡهُمۡ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٧٩
Those who criticize the contributors among the believers concerning [their] charities and [criticize] the ones who find nothing [to spend] except their effort, so they ridicule them - Allāh will ridicule them, and they will have a painful punishment.