9-73 O Prophet, strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be firm against them. And their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.a
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَـٰهِدِ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ(۷۳)
9-73a: جَـٰهِدِ – It is derived from جُہۡد which means to exert, endeavor. جہاد and مجاھد is to expend one’s power to defend against an enemy. Raghib states that jihad is of three types: striving against an enemy, striving against the devil, and striving with one’s desires. The Quranic statements: وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ (And strive hard for Allah with due striving) (22:78) and وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ (and strive hard in Allah’s way with your wealth and your lives) (9:41) etcetera include all three types of jihad. Raghib then cites a hadith of the Holy Prophet: جاھدوا اھواء کم کما تجاھدون اعداء کم (Wage jihad against your desires like you wage jihad against your enemies). He then states that jihad is sometimes with the hand, sometimes with the tongue as the Holy Prophet said: جاھدوا الکفار بایدیکم و السنتکم (Strive against the disbelievers with your hands and your tongue). So, jihad can be with the sword and also with the tongue.
ٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ – غِلَظ (thickness, heaviness, denseness) is the opposite of رقت (thinness, fineness, delicacy), and the word is also used for power and strength. It is stated in the Quran: مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًۭا (strong covenant) (4:21) where the meaning is strong, and similarly: فَـَٔازَرَهُۥ فَٱسْتَغْلَظَ (put forth its sprout, then strengthens it) (48:29) where the meaning is it becomes strong or thickens. غَلۡظ is said of a land that is not soft and instead is hard that cannot be penetrated easily (LA). What is the meaning of ٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ? In another place, it is stated: وَلْيَجِدُوا۟ فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةًۭ ۚ(and let them find firmness in you) (9:123). The same meaning will be taken here, that is be firm against them.
The Holy Prophet dealt gently with the hypocrites for a considerable time and ignored their mischief. He was not harsh with them when they did not join the Muslim forces in battle and accepted their lame excuses for not participating, just as he also did at the start of the Tabuk expedition. However, the time had now come to separate the hypocrites from the believers because the intermingling of the hypocrites with the Muslims was harming the latter. Hence it was ordered to wage jihad against both the disbelievers and the hypocrites. It is obvious that what is meant here is not jihad with the sword because the Holy Prophet never waged a violent war with the hypocrites. So, the meaning here is the other jihad which involves striving and exerting. The hypocrites henceforth were not to be considered as part of the Muslim community and the full strength of the Muslims was to be exerted against the hypocrites. The other thing that is stated with respect to dealing with the hypocrites is to be ٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ. The Quran has testified that the Holy Prophet is not غلیظ القلب or hard hearted, as stated in: لَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ (Hadst thou been rough, hard-hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around thee.) (3:159). This shows that the Holy Prophet was neither rough in his speech nor hard hearted. So, when the Quran itself testifies to this attribute of the Holy Prophet then ٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ cannot be a command to the Holy Prophet to be rough in his speech with the hypocrites or be hard-hearted. The meaning, therefore, is only that if the hypocrites had been of the type that would correct their behavior by a gentle approach, then they would have done so as a result of the gentleness with which they had been treated so far. The command in this verse is, therefore, to forsake the policy of ignoring and forgiving their mischief, shortcomings and faults and to adopt a policy of firmness commensurate with their transgressions. A policy of ignoring and forgiveness against an intransigent enemy does not pay any dividend and causes harm. Since the hypocrites persisted in their enmity, a policy of gentleness was not the right strategy against them.
9-74 They swear by Allah that they said nothing. And certainly they did speak the word of disbelief, and disbelieved after their Islam, and they purposed that which they could not attain.a And they sought revenge only because Allah — as well as His Messenger — had enriched them out of His grace.b So if they repent, it will be good for them; and if they turn away, Allah will chastise them with a painful chastisement in this world and the Hereafter; and they shall have in the earth neither a friend nor a helper.c
يَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ مَا قَالُوا۟ وَلَقَدْ قَالُوا۟ كَلِمَةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ وَكَفَرُوا۟ بَعْدَ إِسْلَـٰمِهِمْ وَ هَمُّوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يَنَالُوا۟ ۚ وَمَا نَقَمُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ أَنْ أَغْنَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۚ فَإِن يَتُوبُوا۟ يَكُ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۭا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن وَلِىٍّۢ وَلَا نَصِيرٍۢ (۷۴)
9-74a: The outcome of hypocrisy is failure and a conclusive argument against the Shia: هَمُّوا۟ بِمَا لَمْ يَنَالُوا۟ (they proposed that which they could not attain): The hypocrites endeavored to destroy Islam but could not achieve their purpose. Shia call Abu Bakr and Umar as hypocrites against this accepted dictum of the Quran that the hypocrites of the Holy Prophet’s time failed to achieve their purpose. However, Allah gave Abu Bake and Umar successes and assisted Islam through them in ways that even many prophets did not have similar successes.
9-74b: مَا نَقَمُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ أَنْ أَغْنَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ (they sought revenge only because Allah had enriched them). This is similar to someone saying: ما لی عندك ذنب الا فی احسنت الیك (I have not committed any sin against you except that I acted with goodness towards you). Allah, through His grace, had enriched them by making the hypocrites partners in the abundance and wealth that the Muslims gained through their victories. However, the result was the opposite of what one would expect. Instead of giving up their hypocrisy, they began to malign Islam even more.
9-74c: The painful chastisement mentioned was a punishment that was to be given to them in this world. Their separation from the Muslim community was a painful chastisement for them and when they were awarded this punishment, they found no friend or helper who could avert this punishment from them.
9-75 And of them are those who made a covenant with Allah: If He give us out of His grace, we will certainly give alms and be of the righteous.
وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ عَـٰهَدَ ٱللَّهَ لَئِنْ ءَاتَىٰنَا مِن فَضْلِهِۦ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (۷۵)
9-76 But when He gave them out of His grace, they became niggardly of it and they turned away and they are averse.a
فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَىٰهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَتَوَلَّوا۟ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ (۷۶)
9-76a: Non acceptance of zakat from Thalabah bin Hatib and hypocrites: Thalabah bin Hatib was an indigent person who asked the Holy Prophet to supplicate for him to receive wealth and promised that if he became wealthy, he would fulfill all of his religious duties. The Holy Prophet prayed for his means to be increased.
It so happened that he became very rich during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet and he stopped praying and adopted a hypocritical stance. When the Holy Prophet’s zakat collectors went to him to collect zakat, he refused to give zakat. When the hypocrites were excommunicated from the Muslim community, Thalabah came to the Holy Prophet and offered to pay zakat from his wealth. The Holy Prophet refused to accept zakat from him. After the demise of the Holy Prophet, he came to Abu Bakr and wanted to pay zakat but he refused to accept it. After the death of Abu Bakr, he once again renewed his petition with Umar to accept his zakat, but Umar too refused and so did Uthman after him. This incident has been narrated as the reason for the revelation of this verse, but the intent is only to the extent that this verse proved true in the case of Thalabah bin Hatib, just as it has for numerous other individuals. There are many individuals who ask Allah for wealth in their supplications but then do not fulfill the duties that come with wealth. They make wealth their god which they worship. The Quran has mentioned that their punishment is that their hearts become hypocritical. This incident goes to show the kind of jihad that was waged against the hypocrites. One of them, Thalabah bin Hatib, lived up to the caliphate of Uthman and resided in the environs of Madinah but his punishment was only that zakat was not accepted from him.
9-77 So He requited them with hypocrisy in their hearts till the day when they meet Him, because they broke their promise with Allah and because they lied.a
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًۭا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُۥ بِمَآ أَخْلَفُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ (۹۷)
9-77a: This shows that the birth of hypocrisy in their hearts was a punishment for their actions of making a covenant with Allah and then breaching it. Every seal that is put on their heart is a punishment. Accordingly, it is stated about the mark of a hypocrite: اذ ادعد اخلف (When he promises, he breaks his promise) and و اذا حدث لذب (and when he speaks, he lies). Lying and breaking promises are an integral attribute of hypocrisy.
9-78 Know they not that Allah knows their hidden thoughts and their secret counsels, and that Allah is the great Knower of the unseen things?
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَىٰهُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ (۷۸)
9-79 Those who taunt the free givers of alms among the believers as well as those who cannot find anything (to give) but with their hard labour — they scoff at them. Allah will pay them back their mockery;a and for them is a painful chastisement.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ ٱلْمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ إِلَّا جُهْدَهُمْ فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ ۙ سَخِرَ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (۷۹)
9-79a: مُطَّوِّعِ – This is in reality مُتَطَوّع which means a person who gives with تطوّع or تبرع that is a person who gives with affection and pleasure or gives generously (N). The hypocrites remarked cynically about them that they donated large sums to be seen by others.
لَا يَجِدُونَ إِلَّا جُهْدَهُمْ – The meaning of جَہۡد and جُہۡد is toiling, hard-work (R). The purport is poor people, who toil hard, labor and out of the meagre amount they earn, they donate in the way of Allah whatever few pennies or produce they can save. The hypocrites laughed at such people too and satirically said: Is God dependent on the fistful of grain they donate?
سَخِرَ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ – The meaning is: جاذا ھم علی سخرتیہم (pay them back their mockery). This statement is similar to: ٱللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ for which see 2-15a.
9-80 Ask forgiveness for them or ask not forgiveness for them. Even if thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. This is because they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger. And Allah guides not the transgressing people.a
ٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِن تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةًۭ فَلَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ (۸۰)
9-80a: The apparent meaning of this verse is that Allah will not forgive the hypocrites under any condition regardless of whether the Prophet asks protection for them or not. However, this does not per se prohibit asking for forgiveness for them. Hence the authentic hadith is not against this verse in which it appears that the Holy Prophet led the funeral prayer of Abdullah bin Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites. Umar tried to stop the Holy Prophet from doing so by citing this verse, to which the Holy Prophet replied: اخِرّ عنی یا عمر لو اعلم انی لوزدت علی السبعین یغفر له لَزدت علیھا (Umar! Get aside. If I knew that he would be forgiven if I ask for his protection more than seventy times, I would have certainly asked for his protection more than seventy times. This also shows that the Holy Prophet took the word seventy literally as an absolute number and did not take its meaning to be that if the supplication for protection was asked more than seventy times then Allah would forgive. He realized that Allah has stated whether he asked for protection or not, Allah will not forgive. Prior to this, it had been revealed in Surah Munafaqun أَسْتَغْفَرْتَ لَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ لَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ ۚ(whether thou ask forgiveness for them or ask not forgiveness for them – Allah will never forgive them) (63:6) where سبعین مرۃ (seventy times) is not mentioned. So, the Holy Prophet’s petition for forgiveness was under the overwhelming mercy and affectionate kindness of the Prophet, precisely for which he is called رحمة للعالمین (Mercy to all nations). A testimony of this mercy is that he led the funeral prayer for the leader of the hypocrites. It also appears from this that the Holy Prophet believed that Allah can set aside a punishment He has decreed. It was on the basis of this that the Holy Prophet supplicated for Abdullah bin Ubayy. However, when the command لَا تُصَلِّ (Never offer prayer) in 9:84 was revealed, the Holy Prophet stopped asking for protection for hypocrites. The next section is about cutting off relations with hypocrites.
Bayan-ul-Quran 