At-Tawbah 9:91
The Repentance · Juz 10 · Page 201
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.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 9:90–91
When the struggle to obey the call of religion demands that people forfeit their lives and property, and if at that time they lag behind in spite of having the ability to make such a sacrifice, this is the worst type of crime. This proves people’s insensitivity to the call of religion. Such behaviour on the part of a Muslim amounts to his being a traitor to God and His Prophet. Such people do not deserve any share in God’s graces. If they were unwilling to spare anything from whatever they had for the sake of God, then how do they expect that God will give them whatever He has? Nobody can receive anything unless he or she pays the price for it. However, God forgives handicapped persons and invalids. One who is ill, who has nothing to contribute to the mission or who does not possess the resources required for the journey will be forgiven by God. Moreover, it is quite possible that in spite of not doing anything, they may be given credit for everything, as has been recorded in a tradition (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad: while returning from the battle of Tabuk, he said to his companions, ‘There are certain people in Madinah, about whom you may say that they have not trodden any path or that they have not traversed any valley but who were nevertheless shoulder to shoulder alongwith you.’
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.