Name: The name of this Surah is Al Tawbah or Al Baraat and there are several other names by which this chapter is mentioned in the Hadith, as for example Al Mukshukshat ( المقشقشة) that is, the healer which heals discords, Al Munqarat ( المنقرۃ), Al Bahoos ( البحوث), Al Mabasrat (المبعثرۃ). These names reflect the subject matter of this chapter, and this shows that the names of the surahs indicate their subject matter. This surah has sixteen sections (rukus) and 129 verses (ayat). Its name Al Barat is mentioned in the very first verse of this surah: بَرَآءَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ (A declaration of immunity from Allah and His Messenger) (9:1) which announces immunity from obligations and disgust with those disbelievers who breach their obligations under their pacts. Similarly, this surah separates the hypocrites from the believers who till now lived mixed up with the believers. So, there is an indication in the name of this surah that Muslims will separate themselves from polytheism, deceit and hypocrisy and will show their complete aloofness from those with these traits. The other name for this surah is Tawbah and is taken from: لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ (Certainly Allah has turned in mercy to the Prophet) (9:117) where Allah mentions His blessings and mercy that He has bestowed on the Muslims because they responded to the call of the Prophet in a dire situation even to the extent that thirty thousand men left their businesses and standing crops to accompany the Holy Prophet in extreme heat on a long and difficult journey and only three men from among the Muslims stayed behind.
Summary of Surah: As is manifest from the name of this surah, Al Baraat (The Immunity), there is an announcement in the first section of immunity from any obligation with the disbelievers who repeatedly violated their agreements with the Muslims and caused them much distress. Because Islam had to bring wars in Arabia to an end so that faith could be propagated, the time had now come to remedy the mischief of the disbelievers for good. It is also conveyed that polytheism and disbelief are not the only grounds for this separation. Accordingly, the Muslims are commanded to fulfill their agreements till expiry with those disbelievers who did not violate their agreements. It is further added that despite the revoking of the pacts with the polytheists, if a person from their nation asks for refuge from the Muslims, such refuge should be given, and Islam should be explained to the person. If he does not accept Islam, then he should be given safe passage to return to his people. The second section narrates the reasons for the severance of relationship and mentions those people with whom wars will be taking place in the future because these people violated their agreements after accepting Islam and decided to destroy Islam. The third section narrates that Islam requires the sacrifice of lives and wealth from its votaries. It is just not sufficient for a person to say that he was very hospitable, or built or repaired mosques and that would be enough. Unless a person is ready to sacrifice his relatives, his wealth, his inheritance, and his business for Islam, he cannot be called a Muslim. The fourth section warns the Muslims not to be proud of their numbers because the thing that is making them successful is the help of Allah. Further the Muslims are commanded not to let the polytheists come near the Sacred Mosque (Kaaba) and not to worry that this may cause their businesses to suffer. If the Ahle Kitab open hostilities against the Muslims, then they should be confronted, and Allah will cause them to be defeated. In the fifth section, after mentioning the attempts of the Ahle Kitab against Islam, the final domination of Islam is prophesized. The sixth section mentions the expedition to Tabuk which was necessitated by the aggressive movements of the Christians and refers to the hypocrites who decided to stay back and not join the expedition. The seventh section explains that the hypocrites stayed back because of the difficulties of the journey and also because they wanted to see Islam destroyed. The eighth section mentions the hurtful actions of the hypocrites. The ninth section states that the result of hypocrisy is failure. The tenth section commands jihad against the hypocrites and the eleventh section commands their boycott. The twelfth section mentions the Bedouin Arabs of the dessert, many of whom were hypocrites. In the thirteenth section, after mentioning the various classes of hypocrites, it is revealed that one of these groups will be punished twice, the second punishment being their disgrace, and Allah will give one group the ability to repent. Masjid Zarrar is also mentioned in this context. The fourteenth section gives information of the pact that believers have with Allah and how they should fulfill it, and how they are fulfilling it. The fifteenth section informs that the real striving of the believers that takes them closer to Allah are their services to Islam. The sixteenth section states that the Holy Prophet has come to take the world out of sin and destruction, and the surah is ended with this.
Relation with the previous surah: This surah has such an intimate relationship with the previous surah Al Anfal that the two surah have been termed the two parts of one surah and the intervening بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ is not written between them. It is to emphasize this close relationship that بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ was not revealed to the Holy Prophet at the start of this surah. In Surah Al Anfal there is, in particular, the mention of the Battle of Badr and the opponents are asked to understand that this battle is a sign for them. If they stop waging wars, it would be good for them but if they continued fighting then their end would be failure and disgrace. Surah Baraat maps out this failure and disgrace by describing how the strength of the disbelievers was finally broken and they had to humble themselves before the Muslims. Surah Baraat also recounts how the opponents violated agreements frequently and the final remedy is given to rectify this. Thus, if one reflects, the subject of the two surahs seems to be continuous even though there is a difference of nearly seven years between the revelation of Al Anfal and this surah during which many different kinds of events occurred. This goes to show that in the knowledge of Allah there is continuity between these events and actions.
Period of revelation: The revelation of بَرَآءَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ (A declaration of immunity from Allah and His Messenger) (9:1) and the beginning verses of this surah took place in the ninth year after hijra in the month of Dhu al Qadah. So these verses are revealed in this year. A good part of the rest of the surah deals with the Tabuk expedition and that expedition took place in the ninth year of hijra. Thus, this whole chapter was revealed in the ninth year of hijra. There are some narrations that maintain that one or two verses were revealed at a later period and that could be so, but the real substance of the surah was definitely revealed in the ninth year of hijra.
Bayan-ul-Quran 