9-100 And the foremost, the first of the Emigrants and the Helpers, and those who followed them in goodness — Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them Gardens wherein flow rivers, abiding therein for ever. That is the mighty achievement.
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ (۱۰۰
9-100a: سٰبِقُونَ – The literal meaning of سَبۡق is to outdistance, overtake, get ahead in walking, and راِسۡتِباق is to vie with one another to get ahead, as in: إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا نَسْتَبِقُ (we went off racing one with another) (12:17) and وَٱسْتَبَقَا ٱلْبَابَ (And they raced with one another to the door) (12:25). Its use is then extended to all kinds of priority, precedence, or pre-eminence, as in: ما سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ (they would not have attained it before us) (46:11). In كَلِمَةٌۭ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ (a word already gone forth from thy Lord) (10:19) the purport is binding or happened before hand and سَبۡق is also spoken for attaining eminence and greatness, as in ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ (the foremost are the foremost) (56:10) where the meaning is that righteous actions make them the first to get reward and paradise. That is, it is the equivalent of يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَـٰبِقُونَ (hasten to good things and they are foremost in attaining them) (23:61). The purport in وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ is (and We are not to be overcome) (56:60) and also in وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَبَقُوٓا۟ ۚ(And let not those who dispute think that they can outstrip (Us)) (8:59).
أَوَّلُونَ – اَوَّل is from اَوۡل which is to revert to the original. اَوَّل is foremost. Being اَوَّل can be in different ways, as for example in terms of time, which is a common usage, or state of wealthiness, or status, as in the king is first in status then come the ministers, etcetera. The purport in أَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ (I am the first of those who submit) (6:163) and أَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (I am the first of the believers) (7:143) is that in belief and other matters of Islam the Holy Prophet should be obeyed. The same is the purport in لَا تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهِۦ (be not the first to deny it) (2:41) that is do not become such a disbeliever that others follow you.
مُهَـٰجِرِينَ – For مھاجر see 2-218a. In the terminology of Islam مہاجرین are those people who had to migrate from their native towns on account of following the Holy Prophet. The need for this migration ceased to exist after the conquest of Makkah.
أَنصَار – The meaning of نصیر is ناصر or helper, and its plural is انصار but this word has come to have a specific connotation in Islam as the name of a group of Holy Prophet’s Companions in the same way that tribes have names (LA). This group was from the people of Madinah who helped the religion of Islam so much that all the Muslims of Arabia at that time migrated to Madinah.
رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ – Allah being well pleased with man is that He finds His servant doing what He has commanded him to do and abstaining from things that He has prohibited for him. Man being pleased with Allah is that whatever trials and tribulations befall a person as a decree of Allah, is not disliked (R).
The main subject of this section is about hypocrites and some beievers who exhibited certain weaknesses. As there is at the end of the last section mention of a group of desert dwellers who spent their wealth in a wish to get nearness to Allah, this section begins with a mention of a group of perfect believers who are role models for other Muslims. This group consisted of the سابقون اولین (foremost and first) from amongst the Refugees and the Helpers. What is meant by سابقون اولین ? Some have said that this group comprises those who prayed in the direction of the two qiblas, some have said those who participated in the battle of Badr, some have said those who took the pledge known as Bayat Ar-Ridhwan, some have said those who joined Islam before the migration of the Holy Prophet from Makkah for the Refugees and those who took the first and second pledge of Aqabah for the Helpers. However, most commentators have taken the view that this group comprises all the Refugees and Helpers and they are foremost and first with respect to other Muslims. The reality, however, is that in سابق (foremost) and اول (first) there is definitely an element of time because the earlier converts had to face greater tribulations than those who came afterwards, and the greater the tribulations, the greater is the perfection of belief. Thus, those who were foremost in accepting Islam and bore great tribulations progressed tremendously in the strength of their belief. However, the real purport of سابق and اول as shown in the meaning of these words is to be foremost in acts of goodness (اعمال صالحہ ) and first ( اول) in being a role model of piety. As an example, Ubaidallah was among the first in terms of time from the Helpers but later became a Christian. Hence, in reality سابقون اولین are not those in terms of time, but in terms of their actions, and for this reason, when mention is made of their submission, the word بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢ is used as a descriptive extension or to indicate those who followed them in acts of goodness. Thus, their being foremost and first is in doing acts of goodness and not necessarily in terms of time. These سابقین are closest to Allah in His noble presence as stated in وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ (And the foremost are the foremost; these are drawn nigh (to Allah)) (56:10-11). Those who followed them in good deeds also received this distinction from Allah because Allah became pleased with them and they became pleased with Allah and this is the highest level that can be achieved by man. It is a fact that the perfection with which the Companions followed the commands regarding what must be done and what must be shunned is unparalleled in the history of mankind. There was never a command revealed in the Quran that the Companions did not fulfill literally, and they were so satisfied with whatever Allah had decreed that they sacrificed their life, wealth, and their children and felt happy about it.
9-101 And of those around you of the desert Arabs, there are hypocrites; and of the people of Madinah (also) — they persist in hypocrisy. Thou knowest them not; We know them. We will chastise them twice, then they will be turned back to a grievous chastisement.a
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍۢ (۱۰۱)
9-101a: مَرَدُوا۟ – Raghib has given the meaning of مارِد and مَرید as devoid of any charity and derived from it is اَمۡرَد which means a person whose beard hair have not yet appeared. One of the meanings given of the hadith statement: اھل الجنة مُرۡدٌ is that they will be devoid of sins and defects. He has interpreted the meaning of مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ as ارتَکَسُوا عن الخیرِ و ھم علی النفاق (they were deprived of goodness because of their hypocrisy) (R). The meaning of مَرَدَ is also مَرَنَ that is habituated to it, and the meaning of مَرَدَ عَلی الشَرِّ is disobeyed and exceeded all limits (LA).
The punishment of hypocrites: There is a reversion here to the hypocrisy of the dwellers of the desert which is the real subject of this section. It is stated that there are hypocrites among the dwellers of the desert but even in the urbanite residents of Madinah there are people who are stubbornly sticking to hypocrisy. Their hypocrisy started right from the time that the Holy Prophet arrived in Madinah and now even nine years later, there is no change in their attitude. Their hypocrisy is manifest from their actions, but they cleverly try to hide it by swearing that they are believers ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ جُنَّةًۭ (They take shelter under their oaths) (63:2). It is for this reason that it is stated: Thou knowest them not; We know them. There is an indication in We know them that their names will now be revealed, and these persons were subsequently expelled from the mosque. It is mentioned that they will be punished twice and then they will be returned to a grievous chastisement. The grievous chastisement is the chastisement of the Hereafter. Hence the two punishments must be the punishments of this world. Most commentators have included the punishment of the grave in the two punishments but in reality, the punishment of the grave is part of the punishment of the Hereafter and further it is not specific to the hypocrites. There is a narration of Ibn Abbas which provides testimony to one of these punishments. According to this narration, the Holy Prophet during one of his Friday sermons named the hypocrites and ordered them out of the mosque. This public humiliation was a severe chastisement because up until that point, they concealed their hypocrisy under false oaths of being believers but now their reality was exposed publicly. As regards the second chastisement, the testimony is provided by an explicit and decisive dictum of the Quran: وَلَا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوَٰلُهُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُهُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا (And let not their wealth and their children excite their admiration. Allah only intends to chastise them thereby in this world) (9:85). This was a chastisement for them in the following respect that their children became sincere Muslims in front of their eyes and even gave their lives for the support and help of Islam. Further, the hypocrites had to spend some of their wealth to support Islam when donations were requested just to show their affiliation with Islam, as mentioned in verse 9:98 where it is stated that they considered this spending to be a fine. The hypocrites in their hearts were the enemies of Islam and desired its destruction but their children and their wealth were assisting Islam and there could not have been a greater chastisement for them. So, these were the two chastisements of the world.
9-102 And others have acknowledged their faults — they mixed a good deed with another that was evil. It may be that Allah will turn to them (mercifully). Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.a
وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا۟ عَمَلًۭا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ (۱۰۲)
9-102a: ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ – عَرَف means to recognize, to know, and the meaning of اِعۡتَرَف means to confess, to acknowledge and its most common use is to openly acknowledge a sin which is the opposite of stubborn denial of truth (R). اعترف is also used in the sense of عَرَفَ (to recognize; to know) (LA). To acknowledge sin does not mean that after sinning one should go about telling people about it. A person came to the Holy Prophet and confessed having committed a sin, the Holy Prophet turned his face away from the person. The person confessed again, and the Holy Prophet again looked away. Thus, by his behavior, the Holy Prophet showed that he did not like people confessing their sins openly. Caliph Umar is reported to have said: اَطۡرَدۡنا الُمعۡتَرِفینَ (We will expel from the city those who manifest their offences in which shariah punishments are mandatory). In other words, he disapproved of public confessions (LA). The real acknowledgement is that a person feels within himself that he has committed a sinful act and tries to redress it.
Repentance of hypocrites: Commentators have here cited the affair of Abu Lababa and some others, but it can only be taken as an example of the more general meaning. Actually the Quran has completed the mention of hypocrites here from every angle as there is a mention of repentant hypocrites here whereas in the previous verse, there is a mention of hypocrites who were stubbornly sticking to their hypocrisy and their disgrace. The group mentioned here acknowledged their sins and tried to rectify them. It appears that they were not ardent opponents of Islam or were aligned with the hypocrites because of some weakness. Except for a few hardened hypocrites who were named and expelled from the mosque, a large section of hypocrites became sincere followers of Islam, and the hope that is created by عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ (it may be that Allah will turn to them (mercifully)) was fulfilled in this respect by their becoming sincere Muslims.
9-103 Take alms out of their property — thou wouldst cleanse them and purify them thereby — and pray for them. Surely thy prayer is a relief to them. And Allah is Hearing, Knowing.a
خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةًۭ تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌۭ لَّهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (۱۰۳)
9-103a: تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم – The difference between تطھیر and تزکیة is that طُھۡر is the opposite of filth and تطھیر is to cleanse the filth. The root of تزکیة is زکا which means to grow, nourish, thrive, and hence the meaning of تزکیة is to grow one’s soul by charity and Divine blessings. Thus, تطھیر is just to cleanse oneself from bad things and تزکیه is to increase in goodness.
صَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ – The meaning here is only to pray for them, that is to ask protection for them. The meaning here is not to pray the funeral prayer.
The acceptance of zakat from the repentant hypocrites and a lesson for Muslims: The command given to the Holy Prophet to accept zakat from the repentant hypocrites also indicates that zakat is not to be accepted from the hypocrites mentioned in 9:101 who were expelled from the mosque. This is a moment of reflection for those Muslims who do not pay zakat as to the kind of group in which they will be included. To be a Muslim in name only will not be of any benefit, just as it was of no benefit to the hypocrites. The benefit of acceptance zakat from them is that they will be cleansed and purified, that is they will be cleansed of past sins and will grow in goodness in the future. The Holy Prophet was commanded to pray for them. Narrations in the hadith show that when the Holy Prophet received zakat from any source, he would pray for those who had given the zakat. Similarly, it is incumbent on whoever is the Imam to pray accordingly. Prayer is stated to be a relief for those prayed for.
9-104 Know they not that Allah is He Who accepts repentance from His servants and takes the alms, and that Allah — He is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful?a
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ ٱلتَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَأْخُذُ ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (۱۰۴)
9-104a: يَأْخُذُ ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ – The meaning of اَخۡذ is to take but taking alms by Allah is stated here in a metaphorical sense and means accepting their charity.
9-105 And say, Work; so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Messenger and the believers. And you will be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.a
وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (۱۰۵)
9-105a: The meaning of Allah will see your work is that the repentant hypocrites will have to provide proof of their truthfulness and sincerity because it is actions that count with Allah. In another place, it is stated: قُل لِّلْمُخَلَّفِينَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ سَتُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ أُو۟لِى بَأْسٍۢ شَدِيدٍۢ تُقَـٰتِلُونَهُمْ أَوْ يُسْلِمُونَ (Say to those of the dwellers of the desert who lagged behind: You will soon be called against a people of mighty prowess to fight against them until they submit) (48:16). In 9:83, it is stated that the hypocrites will not be part of the fighting force of Muslims. So, now in respect of the repentant hypocrites, it is stated that they will be given a second chance to prove their truthfulness and sincerity by whether they join the Muslim force. Along with Allah, the words His Messenger and the believers are added because the work will be such that the Messenger and the believers will be able to witness it and that work is taking part in the battles that the Muslims will have to fight. The Muslims of today can also furnish proof of their sincerity by spending their wealth and life in the way of Allah and for the progress of His religion, Islam.
9-106 And others are made to await Allah’s command, whether He chastise them or turn to them (mercifully). And Allah is Knowing, Wise.a
وَءَاخَرُونَ مُرْجَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمْ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ (۱۰۶)
9-106a: مُرْجَوْنَ – The meaning of اَرۡجَأ الامَر is اَخَّرہٗ that is, put it behind or at the back. The orthographical sign hamza (ء ) is sometimes omitted.
Resemblance with hypocrites: Who were these who were made to wait? Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Akramah etcetera all consider this to refer to three persons mentioned in verse 9:118. This section deals with the hypocrites and these three are also mentioned later along with the believers. The reason for this could be that these three preferred their own comfort over participating in the Tabuk expedition and thereby themselves created a similarity with the hypocrites. It is from this perspective that they are mentioned here and later their repentance is stated under the mention of the believers to manifest that they were not actually from the hypocrites.
9-107 And those who built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and (to help) disbelief, and to cause disunion among the believers, and a refuge for him who made war against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will certainly swear: We desired naught but good. And Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.a
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًۭا ضِرَارًۭا وَكُفْرًۭا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًۭا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ (۱۰۷)
9-107a: In this verse, mention is made of a group of hypocrites who built a mosque which is known as the Masjid Zarar (Harmful Mosque). This group consisted of twelve men who built a mosque in the neighborhood of Quba as part of a conspiracy of Abu Amir. Abu Amir belonged to the tribe of Khazraj and had converted to Christianity in the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance. Because of his devotion, the Khazraj respected him. After the Holy Prophet was victorious at Badr, Abu Amir fled to Makkah and joined ranks with the disbelievers and incited them to wage war against the Holy Prophet and even came to Uhad with the disbeliever’s army. He tried to entice the Helpers but was unsuccessful. Finally, when he saw the Holy Prophet overpowering his opponents, he went to Syria to seek assistance from the Roman Emperor Heraclius against the Holy Prophet. After receiving some commitment from him, Abu Amir wrote a letter to some of his tribesmen to build a separate mosque where the future planning could be done easily. The construction of the mosque started on this basis. The Holy Prophet was about to leave for Tabuk when the conspirators came to him and asked him to pray in the mosque. The Holy Prophet gave them a noncommittal reply and said that he would see after he came back from the expedition. On his way back, he was still some distance from Madinah when Allah informed the Holy Prophet through revelation the real story about this mosque and the Holy Prophet ordered the mosque to be demolished. The primary objective for the construction of this mosque was stated to be to cause injury or harm to the Muslims. The second objective was to spread disbelief, as is obvious. The third objective was to create disunity among the believers by deceitfully getting some Muslims to join the conspirators. By إِرْصَادًۭا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ (a refuge for him who made war against Allah and His Messenger) is meant an opportune moment for Abu Amir to attack because the objective was that Abu Amir will be able to monitor the situation from the mosque which will assist him in his conspiracy against the Holy Prophet.
9-108 Never stand in it. Certainly a mosque founded on observance of duty from the first day is more deserving that thou shouldst stand in it. In it are men who love to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who purify themselves.a
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌۭ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ (۱۰۸)
9-108a: أُسِّسَ – اُسّ and اساس means the foundation on which the superstructure is built. It is also used to indicate the point from where a thing begins, and a person’s اُسّ is the core of his soul (LA). By its foundation being on the observation of duty means that its purpose was to assist people in keeping their duty.
The mosque mentioned here is the mosque at Quba. Some Hadith narrations mention this mosque to be Masjid Nabvi but the first referred is preferable. The statement that in it are men who love to purify themselves does not refer to physical purity, although there are some hadith in support of this view, but it was possible to go to the Masjid Zarar with clean clothes as well. The Quran refers to this purity in contrast with the previous attempt at mischief. The purport here is the purity of soul, that is being free from all kinds of mischief, just as the statement a mosque founded on observance of duty is used metaphorically and does not imply that observance of duty is a physical foundation on which the mosque is built.
9-109 Is he, then, who lays his foundation on duty to Allah and (His) good pleasure better, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the Fire of hell? And Allah guides not the unjust people.a
أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَـٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَـٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍۢ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (۱۰۹)
9-109a: بُنْيَـٰنَ – بَنَی means constructed a building, and a wall is called بُنْيَـٰنَ as in كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَـٰنٌۭ مَّرْصُوصٌۭ (as if they were a solid wall) (61:4). The word is also used for everything that is made. Accordingly, it is stated in another place فَأَتَى ٱللَّهُ بُنْيَـٰنَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْقَوَاعِدِ (so Allah demolished their building from its foundation) (16:26) where the purport is that Allah nullified the strategies they had made. The word بناء is also used to denote human body, as in: من ھدم بناء ربه , and بِنۡیَة means human nature.
شَفَا – شَفا is the brink of a well etcetera and is used as a metaphor to describe a situation close to destruction, in which meaning it is used here. شفاء is also recovery or convalescence from an illness, as if the sick person has found the edge of safety (R).
جرف – جَرۡف is to take a significant portion or the whole of a thing, and جرف is the lower part of a valley or stream that gets eroded by the current of rushing water leaving an overhang which when the overhang bursts, it is called ھار. The mention in hadith of plague جاروف is also from this root (LA).
هَارٍۢ – انھار ھارَ البناءُ means the wall fell down. انہار is spoken of a person who falls down from an elevated place.
The purport here is not the construction of real buildings but the reference is metaphorical to describe the condition of a believer and a hypocrite. The foundation of belief is strong and that of hypocrisy very weak.
9-110 The building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of disquiet in their hearts, unless their hearts be torn to pieces. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.a
لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَـٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةًۭ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (۱۱۰)
9-110a: رِيبَةًۭ – It is a noun from ریب and means suspicion and doubt. It is used here to explain بنوا ریبة فی قلوبہم and here means تَدُلُّ علی دغلٍ و قِلَّةِ یقینٍ that is it bears testimony to insincerity and lack of faith (R).
تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ – The meaning of قَطۡع is to sever something either physically from the body or metaphorically, as in وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ (and cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined) (2:27). The meaning of hearts to be torn to pieces is that they will either die or repent so vehemently that their shame tears their hearts apart (R).
Here their building is called رِيبَةًۭ that is doubt, sorrow and perturbation which shows clearly that what is meant is their faith.
Bayan-ul-Quran 