Translation of the meanings of surah At-Tawba (1)

(1) (1) [This is a declaration of] disassociation, from Allāh and His Messenger, to those with whom you had made a treaty among the polytheists.[461]

[461]- But who had violated it.

(2) (2) So travel freely, [O disbelievers], throughout the land [during] four months but know that you cannot cause failure to Allāh and that Allāh will disgrace the disbelievers.

(3) (3) And [it is] an announcement from Allāh and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage[462] that Allāh is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if you repent, that is best for you; but if you turn away - then know that you will not cause failure to Allāh.[463] And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.

[462]- Ḥajj. ʿUmrah is the lesser pilgrimage. [463]- i.e., you cannot escape His punishment.

(4) (4) Excepted are those with whom you made a treaty among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their treaty until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allāh loves the righteous [who fear Him].

(5) (5) And when the inviolable months[464] have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

[464]- The four months mentioned in verse 2, in which the disbelievers were allowed free movement within the land. Other scholars have interpreted them as "the sacred months," i.e., Muḥarram, Rajab, Dhul-Qaʿdah and Dhul-Ḥijjah.

(6) (6) And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allāh [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

(7) (7) How can there be for the polytheists a treaty in the sight of Allāh and with His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām? So as long as they are upright toward you,[465] be upright toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves the righteous [who fear Him].

[465]- i.e., maintain the terms of the treaty.

(8) (8) How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.

(9) (9) They have exchanged the signs of Allāh for a small price and averted [people] from His way. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.

(10) (10) They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. And it is they who are the transgressors.

(11) (11) But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.

(12) (12) And if they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then combat the leaders of disbelief, for indeed, there are no oaths [sacred] to them; [fight them that] they might cease.

(13) (13) Would you not fight against a people who broke their oaths and determined to expel the Messenger, and they had begun [the attack upon] you the first time? Do you fear them? But Allāh has more right that you should fear Him, if you are [truly] believers.

(14) (14) Fight them; Allāh will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts [i.e., desires] of a believing people

(15) (15) And remove the fury in their [i.e., the believers'] hearts. And Allāh turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.

(16) (16) Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allāh has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allāh, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.

(17) (17) It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allāh [while] witnessing against themselves with disbelief. [For] those, their deeds have become worthless, and in the Fire they will abide eternally.

(18) (18) The mosques of Allāh are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakāh and do not fear except Allāh, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.

(19) (19) Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām equal to [the deeds of] one who believes in Allāh and the Last Day and strives in the cause of Allāh? They are not equal in the sight of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.

(20) (20) The ones who have believed, emigrated and striven in the cause of Allāh with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allāh. And it is those who are the attainers [of success].

(21) (21) Their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and approval and of gardens for them wherein is enduring pleasure.

(22) (22) [They will be] abiding therein forever. Indeed, Allāh has with Him a great reward.

(23) (23) O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

(24) (24) Say, [O Muḥammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allāh and His Messenger and jihād [i.e., striving] in His cause, then wait until Allāh executes His command. And Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."

(25) (25) Allāh has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Ḥunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with [i.e., in spite of] its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing.

(26) (26) Then Allāh sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers [i.e., angels] whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.

(27) (27) Then Allāh will accept repentance after that for whom He wills; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

(28) (28) O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Ḥarām after this, their [final] year. And if you fear privation, Allāh will enrich you from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Wise.

(29) (29) Fight against those who do not believe in Allāh or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allāh and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth [i.e., Islām] from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah[466] willingly while they are humbled.

[466]- A tax required of non-Muslims exempting them from military service and entitling them to the protection of the Islāmic state. Concurrently, zakāh is not taken from them, being an obligation only upon Muslims.

(30) (30) The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allāh"; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allāh." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before [them]. May Allāh destroy them; how are they deluded?

(31) (31) They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh,[467] and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary.[468] And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.

[467]- By their obedience to them rather than to what Allāh ordained. [468]- By their worship of him in conjunction with Allāh.

(32) (32) They want to extinguish the light of Allāh with their mouths, but Allāh refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.

(33) (33) It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allāh dislike it.

(34) (34) O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly[469] and avert [them] from the way of Allāh. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allāh - give them tidings of a painful punishment.

[469]- i.e., through false pretense.

(35) (35) The Day when it[470] will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], "This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard."

[470]- The gold and silver which was hoarded, i.e., whose zakāh was not paid.

(36) (36) Indeed, the number of months with Allāh is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allāh [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred.[471] That is the correct religion [i.e., way], so do not wrong yourselves during them.[472] And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allāh is with the righteous [who fear Him].

[471]- See footnote to 9:5. [472]- i.e., do not violate the sacred months or commit aggression therein.

(37) (37) Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it[473] lawful one year and unlawful another year to correspond to the number made unlawful by Allāh[474] and [thus] make lawful what Allāh has made unlawful. Made pleasing to them is the evil of their deeds; and Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.

[473]- Fighting during a sacred month.

(38) (38) O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allāh, you adhere heavily to the earth?[475] Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.

[475]- i.e., inclining toward the comforts of worldly life.

(39) (39) If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. And Allāh is over all things competent.

(40) (40) If you do not aid him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] - Allāh has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two,[476] when they were in the cave and he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allāh is with us." And Allāh sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers [i.e., angels] you did not see and made the word[477] of those who disbelieved the lowest,[478] while the word of Allāh[479] - that is the highest. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.

[476]- The second was his companion, Abū Bakr. [477]- i.e., their claims and slogans. [478]- i.e., degraded and dishonored. [479]- "Lā ilāha ill-Allāh" ("There is no deity except Allāh").

(41) (41) Go forth, whether light or heavy,[480] and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allāh. That is better for you, if you only knew.

[480]- i.e., young or old, riding or walking, in ease or in hardship - in all circumstances and conditions.

(42) (42) Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh,[481] "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.

[481]- When you return from the Tabūk expedition.

(43) (43) Allāh has pardoned you, [O Muḥammad, but] why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.

(44) (44) Those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [i.e., fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allāh is Knowing of those who fear Him.

(45) (45) Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allāh and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.

(46) (46) And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it [some] preparation. But Allāh disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain."[482]

[482]- i.e., the women and children.

(47) (47) Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.

(48) (48) They had already desired dissension before and had upset matters for you[483] until the truth came and the ordinance [i.e., victory] of Allāh appeared, while they were averse.

[483]- Or "turned matters related to you over [in their minds, considering how to cause you failure]."

(49) (49) And among them is he who says, "Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial." Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen.[484] And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.

[484]- By avoiding their obligation, they fell into destruction.

(50) (50) If good befalls you, it distresses them; but if disaster strikes you, they say, "We took our matter [in hand] before,"[485] and turn away while they are rejoicing.

[485]- The hypocrites claim to have protected themselves by remaining behind.

(51) (51) Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allāh has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allāh let the believers rely.

(52) (52) Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things [i.e., martyrdom or victory] while we await for you that Allāh will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting."

(53) (53) Say, "Spend willingly or unwillingly; never will it be accepted from you. Indeed, you have been a defiantly disobedient people."

(54) (54) And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allāh and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.

(55) (55) So let not their wealth or their children impress you. Allāh only intends to punish them through them in worldly life and that their souls should depart [at death] while they are disbelievers.

(56) (56) And they swear by Allāh that they are from among you while they are not from among you; but they are a people who are afraid.

(57) (57) If they could find a refuge or some caves or any place to enter [and hide], they would turn to it while they run heedlessly.

(58) (58) And among them are some who criticize you concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are given from them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once they become angry.

(59) (59) If only they had been satisfied with what Allāh and His Messenger gave them and said, "Sufficient for us is Allāh; Allāh will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allāh,"[486] [it would have been better for them].

[486]- Meaning "We desire Allāh and His grace and acceptance," or "We desire whatever Allāh wills to give us of His bounty."