Tafsir of Surah At-Tahrim - Verse 9

The Command for Jihad against the Disbelievers and the Hypocrites

Allah the Exalted orders His Messenger to perform Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites, the former with weapons and armaments and the later by establishing Allah's legislated penal code,

وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ

(and be severe against them) meaning, in this life,

وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(their abode will be Hell, and worst indeed is that destination.) that is, in the Hereafter.

The Disbeliever shall never benefit from His Believing Relative on the Day of Resurrection

Allah the exalted said,

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

(Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve) meaning, the disbelievers who live together in this life with Muslims, their mixing and mingling with Muslims will not help the disbelievers, nor will it avail them with Allah, until and unless they gain faith in their hearts. Then Allah mentioned the parable, saying,

امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَـلِحَيْنِ

(the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous servants,) means, they were the wives of two of Allah's Messengers and were their companions by day and night, eating with them and sleeping with them, as much as any marriage contains of interaction between spouses. However,

فَخَانَتَاهُمَا

(they both betrayed them.) meaning, in the faith, they did not adhere to the faith sent through their husbands nor accepted their message. Therefore, all the intimate knowledge of their husbands neither helped them nor prevented punishment, hence Allah's statement,

فَلَمْ يُغْنِينَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً

(So, they availed them not against Allah) means, because their wives were disbelievers,

وَقِيلَ

(and it was said) meaning, to these wives,

ادْخُلاَ النَّارَ مَعَ الدَخِلِينَ

(Enter the Fire along with those who enter!) The part of the Ayah that reads,

فَخَانَتَاهُمَا

(but they both betrayed them) does not pertain to committing illegal sexual intercourse, but to refusing to accept the religion. Surely, the wives of the Prophets were immune from committing illegal sexual intercourse on account of the honor that Allah has granted His Prophets, as we explained in Surat An-Nur. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas, "They betrayed them by not following their religion. The wife of Prophet Nuh used to expose his secrets, informing his oppressive people whenever any person embraced the faith with Nuh. As for the wife of Prophet Lut, she used to inform the people of the city (Sodom), who committed the awful sexual act (sodomy), whenever a guest was entertained by her husband." Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "No wife of a Prophet ever committed adultery and fornication. Rather, they betrayed them by refusing to follow their religion." Similar was said by `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and others.

Commentary

تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا (...turn to Allah with a faithful repentance...66:8). The word taubah, literally, means 'to turn' or 'to return', in the sense of turning or withdrawing from sins. In the terminology of the Qur'an and Sunnah, it signifies 'to regret committing sins in the past and to firmly resolve abstaining from them in future'. Taubah is qualified in the verse by the word نصوح nasuh. If it is taken as the infinitive of nasaha / nasihah, it signifies 'to make pure and sincere'; and if it be derived from nasahah, it signifies 'to repair clothes by sewing'. In terms of the first meaning, the expression nasuh signifies sincere/faithful [ repentance ], free from pretence and hypocrisy. In this interpretation, a sinner is required to regret the sins he has committed and give them up purely for the pleasure of Allah and for fear of Divine chastisement. In terms of the second meaning, nasuh would signify that 'the sinner is required to repair the torn clothes of righteous deeds'. Sayyidna Hasan Basri (رح) says that taubatan nasuha signifies that a person should regret his past evil actions, and make a firm resolve never to repeat them. Kalbi says the phrase taubatan nasuha signifies that a person should pray for pardon with his tongue, regret in his heart, and should prevent the limbs of his body from committing sins in the future.

Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ was asked as to what is 'taubah' and he replied that it consists of six elements: [ 1] to regret one's past evil deeds; [ 2] to carry out Divine duties that were missed; [ 3] to restore the rights that were usurped; [ 4] to ask forgiveness of a person who has been wronged by him physically or verbally; [ 5] to make a firm resolve of avoiding the sin in future; and [ 6] to consume one's self in obedience of Allah as one thus far consumed one's self in His disobedience. [ Mazhari ]. In fact, all of the conditions of 'taubah', put forward by Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، are recognized by all the scholars. However, some have described them concisely and others in details.

عَسَىٰ رَ‌بُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ‌ عَنكُمْ (It is hoped from your Lord that he will write off your faults...66:8). The verb ` asa means 'it is hoped'. In this context, it purports to mean 'promise', but the expression of 'hope' is used to indicate that taubah or any other righteous deeds are not the just and equal price for the Paradise or the divine forgiveness. In fact, one compensation for man's good deeds has already been given to him in this world in the form of worldly blessings. Therefore, as regards the law of equality, it is not necessary that he is further compensated by the Jannah. It entirely depends on Divine grace and favour as is mentioned in a Hadith which says: 'Your actions alone cannot salvage you.' The Companions inquired: '0 Messenger of Allah, not even you?' He replied: 'No, not even me unless the Divine grace and mercy covers me.' [ Bukhari and Muslim as quoted by Mazhari ]

This means, ‘Take hypocrites severely to task.’ This is a regular permanent command. Elders and other responsible people should keep a watchful eye on all members of society, and if any Muslim adopts a wrong path, all possible efforts should be made to prevent him from doing so. Only such deeds as are performed by a man himself will have meaning in the eyes of God. Even having connections with saints or being related to pious people will be of no avail. Noah and Lot were prophets of God, but their wives had nevertheless formed strong ties with the enemies of Truth. Consequently, in spite of being the wives of prophets, they were held liable to be sent to hell.