At-Tawbah 9:87
The Repentance · Juz 10 · Page 201
رَضُواْ بِأَن يَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ ٨٧
They were satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and their hearts were sealed over, so they do not understand.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 9:87–89
A hypocrite, due to his being materially minded, gathers around him many worldly effects; a crowd of supporters is also seen around him. These things greatly impress the superficial kind of person. But, for those who look into things more deeply, such showy glamour is not enviable but serves rather to teach a lesson. Such an accumulation of goods hinders the hypocrite from coming closer to God. God’s favourite servant is one who proceeds towards Him without any reservation or worldly consideration. But those who are immersed in worldly glories are unable to rise above these things. Whenever they are inclined to proceed towards God, they feel as if that would be at the cost of material gains. Since they cannot muster enough courage to undertake this sacrifice, they cannot be loyal to God. Their worldly benefits are gained at the horrible price of entering the Hereafter deprived of everything. The condition of such people is that when God’s religion asks them to forget themselves and attach themselves to God, they are unable to bury their inflated egos. When God’s religion tells them to tread a path devoid of personal glory, they lag behind, prefering to take care of their fame and popularity. When the struggle for God’s religion demands the sacrifice of life and property, their lives and property appear so valuable to them that they are unable to sacrifice them for any non-worldly goal. This attitude goes on hardening to the point where their hearts lose all sensitivity. Falling victim to insensitivity, they lose the urge which pulls them towards God and which does not allow them to reconcile with anything other than God. In contrast to this, the true believers allot the highest position to God and as such everything other than God appears worthless to them. They are always ready to move ahead towards God by undertaking every kind of sacrifice. These are the people for whom God’s graces and bounties exist. Nothing stands between them and the eternal paradise of God, save death.
Page 201
9:87
رَضُواْ بِأَن يَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ ٨٧
They were satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and their hearts were sealed over, so they do not understand.
9:88
لَٰكِنِ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥ جَٰهَدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ وَأَنفُسِهِمۡۚ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخَيۡرَٰتُۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٨٨
But the Messenger and those who believed with him fought with their wealth and their lives. Those will have [all that is] good and it is those who are the successful.
9:89
أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ ٨٩
Allāh has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally. That is the great attainment.
9:90
وَجَآءَ ٱلۡمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ لِيُؤۡذَنَ لَهُمۡ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۚ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٩٠
And those with excuses among the bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and they who had lied1 to Allāh and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., claimed faith. ↩
9:91
لَّيۡسَ عَلَى ٱلضُّعَفَآءِ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡمَرۡضَىٰ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُواْ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ مَا عَلَى ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ مِن سَبِيلٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ ٩١
There is not upon the weak or upon the ill or upon those who do not find anything to spend any discomfort [i.e., guilt] when they are sincere to Allāh and His Messenger. There is not upon the doers of good any cause [for blame]. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
9:92
وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوۡكَ لِتَحۡمِلَهُمۡ قُلۡتَ لَآ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحۡمِلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَلَّواْ وَّأَعۡيُنُهُمۡ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمۡعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُواْ مَا يُنفِقُونَ ٩٢
Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you for you to take them along, you said, "I can find nothing upon which to carry you."1 They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend [for the cause of Allāh].
1 translator’s note
- No mounts or even shoes were available. ↩
9:93
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُونَكَ وَهُمۡ أَغۡنِيَآءُۚ رَضُواْ بِأَن يَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٩٣
The cause [for blame] is only upon those who ask permission of you while they are rich. They are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allāh has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know.